The Deceiver I - World of Sacrifice
by XRinAbyssX
Summary: He was expecting a blank page which nothing written on it. But, nothing was going the way he planned. His eyes widened as they filled with tears, scanning over the words. Seven words written in thick, black pen was on the page, haunting his mind as his hands began to shake. Be careful. They'll die if you tell.
1. Chapter One

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own The Maze Runner nor any of the characters from it.

* * *

**CHAPTER ONE:**

Thirteen Years Ago…

* * *

Day Sixteen – Abbey Wood, Greenwich: London

She was a little girl when the world around her collapsed into a burning heap. She had just turned five years old, her birthday only being a few weeks before. The world was still just a strange new environment for her as she was constantly locked up inside her house. As of her age, she had no memories of what the real world had been like before the disaster. None of the children did. This new world that been created and formed was no place for a child to grow up in, but then again, it wasn't a place for anyone to live in.

It had been two weeks since the disease had broken out. People in large, flying containers shot needles from the sky, injecting people with the horrific disease. As everyone ran, screaming in terror, the disease spread like wild fire. It turned you into some kind of animal, losing all rational thought and human inhibitions you had before. It ate away at your brain until you died a horrid, painful death.

The solar flares burned the dead bodies lying on the streets, making the oxygen toxic as the disease was spread through the air. As it continued to spread, food and fresh water became scarce, almost impossible to find. And even if you did find it, you would never know if someone with a disease had touched it before you. It was a surprise that anyone had lasted as long as they did.

People dropped like files around them, collapsing in the middle of the streets. Anyone alive stayed in their homes, too scared to live as they knew that if they took one step outside, there would be a ninety-five percent chance of infection. And the ones infected stayed inside as long as they could so they wouldn't pass the disease along.

But nothing stopped the disease. There was _no_ escape.

Many people had fled the country, sailing in boats to reach a safe zone. These people included her mother who had left the week before the disease. She decided that she couldn't handle raising a child in the conditions of the solar flares and couldn't watch her young daughter die, so she fled. They had no idea where she had gone, but all they knew was that she hijacked a boat and left.

Her father was distraught, trying his best to take care of her under the circumstances. He boarded all the doors and windows, making sure she would never see the outside world. But, it wasn't enough. She could hear the horrid sounds of screaming and howling outside her room, and she could imagine what they were going through. She would cry and shake every time as she tried to sleep, wondering if they would climb the house and break through the wooden boards.

* * *

She sat down on her bed, staring down at her white buckled shoes, sitting alone in her room in darkness. The door was locked from the outside, never letting her leave her own room unless her father opened it to bring her food. The loneliness always crept up on her as she sat there day and night, never being able to see her old friends, play with them outside, or even read a book that her father used to read to her at bedtime to put her to sleep.

Being stuck in an apocalypse – of any kind – made the children mature faster than most, as they had to learn how to survive, and most had to throw their childhood away, especially if a parent or both died from the creatures outside. She had a little understand of why her father was doing what he was; protecting her from the outside world; but she couldn't sit still in her room. She fidgeted and sometimes rearranged things in her room just so she could look at something different for a change.

She had never seen the creatures outside, but she knew a lot of things about them just from hearing them scream outside of her house. She had witnessed one of her friends being stabbed by the flying needles in her arm. She died two hours later, the disease spreading through her bloodstream too quickly for it to mutate into the creatures. She had cried every night, knowing that she was never able to see her friend again.

Even at her young age and supposedly naïve attitude, her father always had paraded around to everyone that she was smarter than most children. She apparently had learnt to talk a week before the other children around her, and was walking a month earlier than the others. Whether that was true or not didn't seem to matter anymore, but he still liked to tell her every day. Maybe that was just to boost her confidence, or maybe to keep him happy during these times, but it was the only time he talked to her, so she took it with a smile.

Her father had worked for a company before she was born as a dedicated scientist. When his wife became pregnant though, he was given leave so that he could start his family, but she could tell that he missed working for them. Though he had been acting _strange_ for the past few days. In this world, _strange_ was something to be worried about. He used to come in every night and give her dinner with a few cups of water, and give her a kiss goodnight before he tucked her into bed. Even when he lacked sleep, or complained about a constant headache, he always did those simple things.

But, he hadn't done it last night. She was hungry and thirsty, but the house was silent. She couldn't even tell if he was still in the house. Her eyes started watering at the thought that her father might have abandoned. She curled herself up into a ball as she started crying on her bed, hoping her thoughts were just over-the-top.

-BANG-

She shot up to stand, grabbing hold of her teddy bear. She held it out in front of her, hoping that it would protect her from the loud bang. It came from right outside her door, like someone was banging on it to try and get in.

She covered her mouth with her right hand as she sobbed, using her other hand to hold onto her teddy bear. She screamed as the door came off the hinges, nails and screws flying and clattering onto the ground as the door slammed to the ground, wood chips scattering across the floor. She bolted across over to the window, hugging onto her teddy bear as she wept.

In the doorway stood her father, staring straight at her with his cold, green eyes. There were chunks of hair missing from the top of his scalp, like they had been ripped from his head by his own two hands. Sores and open blisters covered his body, drool coming from his mouth as he snarled at her like an animal looking at its prey.

"Darling," he whispered out, spit flying from his yellow and rotten mouth. He sounded like he was in pain, limping as he walked towards her.

She was so scared that she couldn't move, her legs shaking as she clutched her teddy bear even tighter, wondering why it wasn't helping her. She started to hyperventilate as she saw something shiny and metal like in his hand, a red liquid all over it. She hadn't seen the sharp object or the red liquid before, but she knew it made her feel sick and like she was going to vomit.

He was holding the object from the pointed end, the tip hitting his skin as the red liquid dripped onto the carpet from his hand, but he didn't seem to be affected by it in the slightest.

"Darling, my head hurts…" he muttered. "It hurts…" He took a step closer and she started to panic. "You're suffering too, aren't you?"

She shook her head, sobbing so much that she couldn't speak or even move. He took another step closer. "The brain. Destroy the brain," he chanted, before he chuckled. "You won't be in pain anymore."

A sick grin formed on his face, his eyes following her every breath and shaken step. She held the teddy bear out in front of her, right as he raised the sharp object up, slamming it right into the teddy bear's eye. She screamed as he slashed the object down, ripping the material and letting the stuffing fall to the ground. She dropped the bear as she tried to run to the door, but he grabbed hold of her.

She screamed and cried as she kicked and punched, but nothing she did fazed him. He gave a chuckle into her ear, which quickly changed to a loud cackle, making her ears ring.

"You have such pretty hair," he whispered, holding the sharp object underneath her neck, making her close her eyes in panic. He trailed it over to piece of hair, getting ready to cut it at ear level from her waist. "I miss my hair."

She screamed as she pushed him, trying to escape. She felt her foot connect with what she thought was his knee; he screamed as he chucked her, making her shriek in fear. Her back made contact with the window behind her, the throw from her father making enough force to smash the glass, red liquid gushing from her back as the sharp glass cut into her back; her back burning and seeming to itch.

She landed down on the ground on her side, the drop clouding her vision as it seemed that everything was turning black. She felt soft hands grabbing hold of her arm, the burning in her back suddenly becoming too much for her small body to handle. The last thing she heard was the cackle from her father that provoked the other creatures to scream around her.


	2. Chapter Two

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own The Maze Runner nor any of the characters from it.

* * *

**CHAPTER TWO:**

Trapped Inside Metallic Walls…

* * *

Day One – Part One – Unknown Location

The air was stale and dusty, suffocating in a way. He gasped as he woke, coughing from the air filling his lungs. Spit flew through his mouth as he tried to regain his breath, his coughs and splutters the only sound. He crawled over to one of the corners, wiping his mouth as he looked around.

The floor underneath him shook, throwing him across the floor. He yelled as he smashed his back against the wall, groaning in agony as he huddled over, holding his stomach as he swallowed down the bile rising in his throat. He wondered if this is what it felt like to die, nothing but pain and misery in a silent, unstable room of darkness.

He moved his hand to the back of his neck once his stomach had settled, checking for any injuries. As he couldn't feel blood trickling his neck, he assumed he was alright. At least for the moment. He wasn't exactly sure that he hadn't suffered internal damage to his organs though.

Another jolt of the room sent him across the box once again, yelling as he pushed his hand in front of him. It slammed against the wall, decreasing the speed of impact on his body, but his hand stung as it sent shock waves through his centre of nerves.

He groaned as he stumbled back up, leaning against the wall. He felt the oxygen leave his body as he felt his stomach churn, his whole body feeling like he was being lifted into the air though his feet remained flat on the ground. This led him to the conclusion that the room he was in was actually an elevator, but not one of modern technology. From the sounds of rattling chains, he imagined that this elevator was more like a mineshaft from the late 1800s.

He looked at the walls surrounding him, confused as to how he'd even gotten into this situation. His panicked breaths had been overpowered by the sounds of the chains. From what he had gathered from when his hand had slammed into the wall, the sound had echoed, meaning the box was hollow.

This gave him a much need idea as he slammed his hands against the walls, the loud sound echoing around the box, making his eardrums ache.

"Hello?" he called out.

The annoyingly loud sounds of the chains made it almost impossible for him to hear the sound of his own voice. He growled, noticing that his body grew with anger instead of the panic and dread he had felt before.

The box started to sway back and forth, knocking him of balance. He held his stomach as his butt hit the floor, the bile seeming to rise back up again. He slowly moved over to the wall, letting his sore back rest against the metal wall.

_This wasn't my idea of a typical day._

…

He got used to the swaying after a while, the nausea starting to fade as he sighed with relief. He removed his hands from around his stomach as his newly developed headache started to slow down and his anger left his body.

He tuned out the annoying sounds of the rattling chains and tried to listen to his own thoughts, hoping there was something there that could possibly help him get out of whatever situation he was currently stuck in.

_Leo. _

He almost stood up as he sucked in a huge breath. What was a Leo and why did it sound so familiar? He couldn't remember anything about himself, but this one word kept popping up. What did it mean?

_Leo. My name's Leo. _

He stared down at the floor as he tried to think of any other name that could belonged to him, but Leo was the only thing that turned up. And while the name seemed familiar but foreign at the same time, he liked the sound and ring it gave when he thought about it.

_I wonder who would've named me that. Seems like a strange choice._

But, that's what confused him. He could remember his name, but he couldn't remember his parents. Wouldn't they have been the ones to give him his name? So why couldn't he remember them? He couldn't remember anything to do with him or his life before being trapped inside this box.

If you asked him, he couldn't give you his age or even a description of himself. There was nothing. Only his name and useless facts you would learn inside a school that would never help you in the real world.

"Leo," he repeated. Even though he couldn't hear himself, he thought that if he said his name outloud, more memories would reform. But, there was nothing.

…

With the amount of time he presumed he had stayed inside the metal box, he started asking himself questions to keep him from going insane. How long had he been inside the box? He couldn't give you a straight answer. All he could tell you was that it felt like an eternity. There was no indication of how much time had passed. He had no watch, no phone, nothing. Not even the sunlight.

Even with asking himself questions, he still felt like he was going insane. The only real noises were the sounds of chains that seemed to pull him up into the darkness. With the knowledge that his eyes hadn't adjusted to the impending darkness, he assumed he hadn't been in the box as long as he had originally thought.

He didn't know how much longer he'd last with the chains and his useless thoughts and memories without smashing something.

And with that thought, he punched the metal wall next to him, screaming as it made contact and made an ear ringing echo. His whole body tingled as he felt the shock from his knuckles make it through his body to his brain. He took a second before he moved his hand away from the wall, shaking it as he cursed under his breath.

The pain, as much as it hurt, kept him from going insane. It gave him some control, knowing he could still feel things and that he wasn't floating in a black abyss. He punched it again but with his other hand, then proceeded to the same to the other until the pain became unbearable. He knew that if he continued with the harsh treatment to his body, he would break his hand.

He gasped out in pain as he lied down on the cold floor, blocking his ears to drain out the noises as he felt tears slowly creeping down his cheeks.

…

Minutes passed. Long, slow minutes.

The rattling chains driving him to insanity once again. He swore that the chains were simply designed to get on his nerves. He desperately wanted to escape and see the sun and feel the warmth of the summer air once again. It almost seemed like a foreign concept, but he just wanted to get out of the stuffy metal box.

He dragged himself up to stand as he held onto the side of the wall to keep himself stable. He walked over to the middle of the box, letting go of the wall making him feel like tripping over at any second. He looked up, knowing already that it was a closed off roof that led to his escape.

He sat down as he placed his head in his hands, his hands still stinging from both the initial shock and pain of punching metal. He growled as he curled up into a ball, wondering if he was ever going to get out of there.

…

Instincts told him that he'd been moving up for about half an hour, dreading every second of it. While he wanted to see the outside again, he started to think of the consequences of doing so. If he was moving up, where was he being taken? Did that mean he had been unground? Would there be people, or would be alone like he was now?

Suddenly, the box stopped moving. The sudden stop threw him to the other side of the box, slamming his stomach on the wall. He whimpered and bit his tongue as he tried to stand back up. He stumbled right before his legs gave way and he fell back down.

Not only was his body starting to fail him, but he couldn't keep his balance as the box swayed from the stop.

After about a minute of constant swaying, the box slowed down until it reached a slow stop. He sighed with relief, his stomach adjusting as the stillness seemed refreshing. But, his relief vanished when the chains stopped pulling and he was left with silence once again.

…

A minute passed. Two? Or was it three? He couldn't tell.

After spending so much time in the box, his eyes finally started to get adjusted to the darkness and he was able to see what surrounded him. He hoped for a trap door, or a secret passageway, but there was nothing. Nothing expect the metal walls that he knew were already there.

He slammed his hand against the wall as hard as he could, trying to get someone to hear him. Maybe he had reached the top but he was stuck. Maybe the person on the outside could help him escape, if there even was one.

As he looked down at his knuckles, he could faintly see how red and bloody they were. He looked over to the wall and noticed the strange patterns now smeared onto the wall, knowing that it was his blood that now covered them.

_At least it gives it a bit of colour._

"Is anyone there? Hello? Can anyone hear me?" he screamed, but there was no response. He held onto his throat, his eyes widening at the sudden sound of his own voice. His eyebrows knotted in confusion, wondering why he sounded so strange. It was not at all what he had in mind when he pictured it in his head.

…

A loud, sudden noise came from above him, making him look at the ceiling. What had only been darkness before now contained a little slither of light. He moved closer, letting the bright light touch his hand. It felt hot, but not unusual.

The light slowly started to expand, more shining through. He closed his eyes as the light burned his skin, covering his face with his bloodied hands. There was a sound of heavy grating, almost as if doors were opening. As he looked at the ceiling, it looked like it was being ripped in half from the outside.

He gulped, wondering what he would find up there. He heard noises coming from above. Voices. Male voices, but they sounded nothing like his own. He backed up against the back wall, hoping to heaven on earth they were friendly.

"Look at that _shank_."

"Wow, he's a pretty one, ain't he?"

"Least he's better looking than the last one."

"He's gonna end up dead in two days."

"Hey _Greenie_. Hope you enjoyed the one way trip."

"Ain't no way back bro."

He stood up, confused. The language the voices were speaking was familiar, but certain words made him question if he really knew the language or not.

"Who the bloody hell are you?!" he shouted, his voice surprising the bodies that the voices belonged to.

"The _Greenie_ talks weird."

"The _shank_ speaks like Newt."

"He sounds like a little girl."

His eyes adjusted much quicker to the light than to darkness as he could now see a group of boys standing at the edge of the box, staring down at him.

Someone lowered a rope down, staring at him right in the face. The end was tied in a big loop, big enough for someone to fit their foot through.

"C'mon! Get on!" one of them shouted.

He looked at the rope, raising an eyebrow. He looked at the box he was standing in, and then at the boys standing in the sunlight. Panic raised in his body as he grabbed hold of the rope, pulling his right foot through the loop. He pulled himself up to stand on it as he was pulled up, hands reaching down to help him. Once he'd reached the ground, he let go of the rope and stood up.

He realised he was surrounded by a group of about fifty or sixty teenage boys. They all seemed to range from fourteen to eighteen. One similarity they all shared was that they were covered in dirt and looked like they hadn't showered in weeks.

And then he noticed the giant walls of metal surrounding them. They were huge, almost like skyscrapers as they reached up into the sky. There were four of them, all the same height. They made him feel small, almost as if he was an ant trapped inside a human's house. It seemed like they were either keeping them inside, or keeping them from leaving.

The next words he heard pulled him out of his thoughts. It raised even more questions and he could believe, and he wondered if he would ever be able to get answers for them.

"Nice to meet ya _shank_," a voice said. "Welcome to the _Glade_."


	3. Chapter Three

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own The Maze Runner nor any of the characters from it.

* * *

**CHAPTER THREE:**

New Foreign Places and Languages…

* * *

Day One – Part Two – The "Glade"

Leo couldn't believe what he was hearing was real. Maybe this kid was just telling a joke or pulling his leg. But he had quickly caught on that things didn't go the way they planned.

He absently shook his head, his attention going back to the walls. He tried to make out what the words meant, but his scrambled brain had not only never heard those words before but couldn't even think of what it could be.

_The Glade?_

Silence filled his ears as no one said a word. They simply watched as he craned his neck to take a better look at the height of the walls. He gained the feeling that they had all gone through the same thoughts and feelings as he had.

The silence broke by a snicker behind him, making him turn around.

"Look at the _Greenbean_," the scratchy voice said. The voice belonged to a tall, skinny boy with black hair and a giant nose. He looked at the person next to him with a smirk on his face. "He's gonna break his _shucking_ neck lookin' at those."

Some of the boys next to him snickered along with him. Leo assumed those boys were his "friends" or his lackeys for a better name.

A dark-skinned boy with short hair have the boy a scowl, the glare on his face seeming to be permeant. "Gally, shut your _shucking_ hole."

Leo glanced at the crowd and then at the boy in front. "The _Glade_?" he asked.

"That's right. The _Glade_," a boy with light brown hair said, walking closer. He had calming blue eyes, filled with light which were a contrast to the other's scowling brown eyes.

"W-What is this place? Where the hell am I?"

"Nowhere good," the dark-skinned boy said. "Just _slim_ yourself nice and calm."

"How can you expect me to be calm in a situation like this?!"

"We don't." The brown haired boy chuckled, leaning his arm on the other boy's shoulder. "Don't mind him. He ain't one for questions."

Leo scoffed. "Not like I couldn't tell." He rolled his eyes.

The brown haired boy smirked. "You've got quite the tongue, don't cha."

Leo shrugged, not knowing if his change in attitude was because of the strange location and new faces, or if this was just him in general.

"Ha! Looks like we've got a pretty one here," the boy known a Gally stated with a smirk.

"What _Keeper_ do ya think he's gonna get?" someone asked.

Gally scoffed. "Please. Like he could do anything. Look at him."

At that moment, Leo knew he would have a very strong disliking for him. It hadn't even been a minute yet and he already presented himself as someone Leo didn't want to be around.

"-I'll bet my liver on it," he continued.

"I'm willing to take the chance," a small boy said. He looked about the youngest.

"Bring it on _shank_."

_Shank? Keeper? Shuck?_

The words sounded like they came from another language, something that they had made up in their spare time.

"I said shut your holes!" the dark-skinned boy yelled. "Keep yapping and next break'll be cut in half."

The crowd of boys went silent, some more willing than others. Gally crossed his arms, clearly annoyed.

"C'mon Alby, calm down," the brown haired boy said, patting on back with a warm smile. "You're scaring the _Greenie_."

Leo raised an eyebrow. "Scaring? Yeah, right."

Alby glared at him, not liking the tone in his voice.

"Anyway, what is going on here?" Leo continued.

The brown haired boy sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "It's a…long story. Piece by piece, you'll eventually get it. I'll take ya on the tour tomorrow."

"Till then, keep your outbursts to yourself _shank_," Alby finished.

"Alby," he said sternly.

Alby sighed, his body tensing up. "_Shuck_, sorry. I'm not good at this kinda stuff."

"I'm clearly not good at meeting people either," Leo said, crossing his arms.

The boy smiled as he stuck his hand out. "I'm Nick by the way. Nice to meet ya."

Leo glanced at his hand before they connected, shaking hands. "Leo."

"So, now that we've gotten all buddy-buddy, mind telling me what's going on around here?" he asked.

"If we told ya everything, you'd die right on the spot after you'd _klunk_ your pants," Alby interrupted. "The _Baggers_ would have to drag ya off. Ya wouldn't be any use to us then, would ya?"

Leo got what the word _klunk _meant pretty quickly.

"_Baggers_? Are they your resident grave diggers or something?" Leo asked. "Also, if we're going to be pedantic here, why would I die from knowing information about the place I'm currently trapped in? And, if I was to die, that would have been a waste of a half an hour elevator ride."

"_Greenie_, you're ticking me off."

"And another thing, what's with calling me a _Greenie_? I already told you my name, why don't you use it?"

Alby stepped forward as he grabbed hold of Leo's shirt collar, lifting him an inch or two off the ground. Leo almost forgot how to breathe from the shock.

"Listen here ya _shank_. No interruptions. You'll get your shucking answers later. Till then, keep your mouth shut."

And with that, he dropped Leo to the ground, his butt landing with a thud.

No one in the crowd said a word as they stared at the fallen _Greenie_. Everyone remained silent. Could this possibly have been the first time someone had stood up to Alby and faced the repercussions?

Nick shook his head, grabbing Alby's shoulder. "Alby, me and you both know how much you hate questions, but you need to control yourself." He pointed over towards a shanty looking wooden building. "I'll handle it. Go check on Newt."

Alby nodded, not hesitating before he walked away from the group and towards the building. His shoulder's relaxed as he got further away from Leo, and that made him roll his eyes.

"Sorry 'bout him," Nick said. "He's a bit of a handful." He held out his hand and Leo grabbed it, the two of them working together to pull him back to his feet.

Nick glanced up at the sky. "Night's coming. _Runners_'ll be back soon. Whatever the Creators doing, sure like sending _Greenies_ up late."

He looked back down at Leo and smiled. "Tomorrow morning, after wake up. I'll show ya 'round the place." He chuckled to himself, holding up his hand right as Leo opened his mouth to speak. "I know. Your questions will be answered. All of them. Eventually."

Nick ran his hand through his hair again, his forehead lined with sweat. "Normally, we'd have our second in command show ya where to sleep but he's…recovering from an injury at the minute. Uh," he quickly glanced around the crowd, "Hawk, show the _Greenie_ where he's sleeping tonight. Got it?"

The boy, who Leo assumed was called Hawk, nodded.

Nick nodded back. "Good that. Now, I've gotta check on the shank Alby. Everyone else, get back to work. You've all got jobs to do."

As soon as he'd finished speaking, he walked off to where Alby had ended up. The others boys surrounding them all looked at each other before they eventually left too, each of them giving Leo a second glance before they left.

"Greetings _Greenie_," Hawk said as he walked closer.

"Leo," he said, glaring.

"Right. Leo. As you've heard, I'm Hawk, the _shank_ showin' ya where you're crashing for the night."

"Good. I could use some rest." Hawk looked at him, scanning up and down. "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?"

"Can't say Gally was wrong. You're a pretty one, ain't ya?"

"Compliment or insult?" Leo asked.

Hawk shrugged. "Bit of both."

Only then did Hawk realise that he'd just called a fellow guy "pretty". He shook his head, clearing his throat as his cheeks reddened.

"A-Anyway, you're probably confused, scared and tired. We're all confused in some way. A bit mad, a little insane? You confused?"

"Of course, who wouldn't be?"

"Least it makes you human."

Leo scoffed. "Glad to know I make such a good human. The implants in my brain are clearly working their bloody magic."

Hawk chuckled, knowing full well the tone of sarcasm.

"What's so funny? You don't believe I'm a robot?"

"Yeah, not in the slightest. But, that's not it. Let's just say you and our second in command will be good friends in no time."

"Alright, since all of you seem to love secrets, can you at least answer this one? Who the hell is this Newt guy, or the second in command or whatever the hell he's called, and why does everyone say I sound like him?"

"Well, our second in command means that he'd been in charge if anything happened to Nick. Along with Alby. They're our potential leaders. But, nothin' bad gonna's happen to Nick. Guaranteed."

_So, Nick is their leader. Thought so._

"He'd be showing ya where to go, but he's stuck in bed. _Shucked_ his ankle pretty badly…As for you sounding the same, you've got the same kind of accent. I think that's what it's called. From a different country from me and the others."

_Judging us on our accents? Bloody stupid._

"But enough of that. We've gotta get ya a place to rest. Tired from riding up in that _klunking_ box?"

Leo nodded as the pain in his hands came back. He looked down and saw how swollen and red they were.

"Got anything to help with this?" he asked, holding his hands up.

Hawk grimaced as he looked at them, making a hissing sound. "We're gonna have to make a detour to the _Med Jacks_. They'll patch your hands up."

"_Med Jacks_? They you're equivalent to Doctors around here?"

"Pretty much. Expect they don't perform surgery or miracles. Anyway, follow me." He started walking towards the same wooden building that the others had disappeared into. Leo, not wanting to be left behind, quickly followed.

…

"This, my friend, is where you'll be sleeping," Hawk said, gesturing down to the ground.

"On the ground? With nothing?" Leo asked.

"You get a pillow and a blanket shank, that's it. No beauty treatment here. Over there is the _Homestead_. There are beds there, but most are occupied anyway. Plus, most of us sleep outside anyway."

"Like looking at the stars?" Leo asked, looking up the bright blue sky, not a single cloud blocking the view of the sun.

Hawk scoffed. "More like lack thereof."

"There aren't any stars in the sky here?" he asked. Hawk shook his head.

"All we get is the moon at night. And the sun always shines."

_Strange. How could a place like this, which seems to be in the middle of bloody nowhere, have not a single star in the sky? And how can the sun always be shining? Wouldn't there be such a thing called rain?_

"Hold on," Hawk started. "Let me get ya some stuff."

He gave a smile before he walked off into the building, which Leo had now learnt was called the _Homestead_. Strange name, but everything else here was strange, so why make a difference with one building.

Without even realising it, Leo had almost forgotten that he was in an unknown location until Hawk had left, leaving him all alone in the giant new world. As he stood there, not knowing what to do, his thoughts went wild. Questions floated around in his mind, begging to be released and answered. But, there was the nagging thought in the back of his mind of what life was like before arriving in this place. Did he have any parents? Would they be missing him right now? Did he have friends and was he in a relationship with anyone?

Would anyone be devastated that he was taken and missing?

And that thought alone made tears form in his eyes. He tried to blink them away, but that only made it worse as one tear fell down his cheek, causing more to follow. He felt short of breath as he thought of who his parents might have been and wondering if they were just as upset as he was.

He muffled his sobs into his black, long-sleeved shirt. He didn't want to appear weak in front of these people he had never met before. Especially since all of them were teenage boys who were probably stronger and bigger than him. They would make fun of him and his stay in this place would be even worse than it is now.

"Got ya sleeping bag," Hawk said as he came out with the grey sleeping bag in his hands. He quickly noticed Leo sobbing into his arm and his sunny attitude quickly dropped. He moved closer and placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry _Greenie_," he said. "You can heckle as loud as you want, no one's gonna judge. We were all the same when we came here. We hollered and screamed for days straight."

The words didn't help as he continued to cry into his sleeve. Hawk didn't know what to do, he had never comforted anyone before, let alone watched anyone cry. He looked around the _Glade_, hoping someone could help him, but everyone ignored them as they continued on with their work.

"Hawk!" a voice called and he sighed with relief. "Lookin' kind of awkward over here. Everything alright with the _Greenie_?"

Hawk shook his head as he looked at Leo. "_Greenie_ won't stop crying. I don't know what to _shucking_ do."

Nick sighed. "Leave it to me. I'm an expert."

Hawk nodded as he slowly walked off, feeling slightly ashamed that he couldn't do anything to help. He then retreated inside the _Homestead_ again, most likely going to go talk with Alby.

Nick bent down and placed his hand on Leo's shoulder. "It's alright, _Greenie_. Everything's going to be alright."

Leo shook his head, his body rattling with silent sobs. "I-It's not. I-I don't know where I am! I-I don't know if I even have a family!"

"I know _Greenie_, I know. We've all been through the same thing when we were dropped here. We spent days balling our eyes and screaming our lungs out, begging to be taken home. We all know what it's like."

Leo wiped his eyes, trying to calm down his breathing as he relaxed. "You talk like you've been here a long time."

Nick chuckled, checking his watch. "Almost two years now."

"Two years?! And you haven't been able to leave this bloody place?!"

"Two years and counting. But don't worry _Greenie_, we will get out of here. We just don't know when yet."

With that, he rustled Leo's hair as he walked back into the _Homestead_. As he passed through the door, he patted Hawk on the back.

"All yours. Get him to the _Med Jacks_. His hands aren't looking too good."

Hawk nodded. "Right."

"Good that. Now go. He's 'calm' at the moment. Might not last long, but it might just be enough to get his hands treated."

Hawk nodded as he walked outside, taking a few steps outside before he turned around. "Thanks _shank_."

Nick smiled. "Anytime _shank_."

…

Hawk led Leo into the _Homestead_, heading up the dodgy set of stairs and into the room on the far right. Inside were two boys cleaning up medical supplies around them and stacking them onto shelves.

"Jeff! Clint! I got a job for ya," Hawk said, closing the door behind them as Leo walked through, staring at the amount of supplies on the shelves. But, there were strange vials filled with some type of liquid that caught her eye.

One of the boys turned around. He was very short and had black hair. "What is it now?"

The other smirked as he walked over. Leo had to look up at him and almost burst out into laughter at his giant nose. "Get a splinter again?"

"No, ya _slinthead_. You heard _Greenie_ over here banging on the _Box_. His hands are pretty _shucked_."

Leo, guessing this was his cue, held up his hands to the _Med Jacks_.

"Geez, you went all out on this," the short one asked as he grabbed Leo's hands, inspecting the damage down to his hands.

"I guess I did," Leo said with a nod, looking away from his hands. He was starting to feel sick from having to look at the sight of his own blood.

"Well, we'll get 'em treated in no time," the taller one said, holding bandages in one hand and a glass of water in the other. The smaller one let go of his hands as he walked over to the shelf and took down a packet of salt. He poured the salt into the water and used his hand to stir it.

"Get ready, cause this is gonna hurt," he said as he held onto the glass as he held onto Leo's hands.

Leo nodded as he closed his eyes, scrunching his face to brace himself for the pain. The glass of salt water was poured onto his open wounds, causing him to whimper and curse. Quickly, the salt water went inside of the wounds and eventually stopped the searing pain. Then it was time for the next one.

Once the treatment was completed, the taller one – who was named Jeff – used the bandages and wrapped them around Leo's hands, making sure the blood didn't get anywhere else.

The smaller one – named Clint – was discussing with Hawk about how Newt was doing. Occasionally, Leo tried to eavesdrop on their conversation, but Jeff quickly noticed and tried to distract him at every chance he could.

Jeff stood up as he wiped his hands on his shirt, staining it with bits of smeared blood. Leo looked down at his hands, admiring the sight of clean hands.

"Everything alright now?" Hawk asked, crossing his arms. A frown was on his face, presuming from the conversation about Newt's condition, and he looked about ready to leave.

"For a moment," Jeff said. "He'll need to come back in a few days though, see if anything's changed."

"In the meantime, don't do anything rash that might reopen those wounds," Clint said, staring at Leo. Leo groaned, the feeling of being lectured at a school by a teacher forming in his mind from Clint's tone.

Not to be rude, considering they had just cleaned and bandaged his wounds, he nodded.

Hawk placed his hand on Leo's shoulder, making him raise an eyebrow. "Guess what Greenie, we're gonna go meet your new friend."

…

Hawk knocked on the door right across from the _Med Jack_ station, not waiting for an answer as he opened it. Leo quickly entered the room, noting Hawk's change in attitude as he shut the door behind them.

The whole building reminded Leo of a haunted house with the floors creaking and the wallpaper peeling. Though he didn't remember ever seeing a haunted house or how he knew what it was, it knew it must have been something run down or poorly built.

Hawk walked up to the bed perched up next to the window, staring at the person lying down on it. Leo moved up closer and stood beside Hawk, who was glaring at the boy. Sat up against the wall was a tall boy with blonde hair and brown eyes. Leo's breath caught in his throat when the two made eye contact, but he quickly shrugged it off, pretending it was just nerves.

"How you doing Newt?" Hawk asked, the tone in his voice giving the impression that he wasn't impressed with the situation.

Only then did Leo notice the bandage wrapped around Newt's ankle, his leg stretched out on the bed.

"Seen better days," Newt said, his accent filling the room. Leo almost took a step back, noticing how they sounded similar. Obviously, his voice was much deeper, but the accent was definitely the same.

"When you start work again?" Hawk asked.

"Tomorrow. Been copped up in bed too bloody long." He slowly placed his injured leg on the ground as he pushed himself up to stand.

Hawk sighed, looking uncomfortable now as he looked anywhere but Newt. This made Leo feel awkward as he stared between the two boys.

"I brought the _Greenie_, like you wanted."

Newt looked back over to Leo, and Leo felt the heat rise to his cheeks. He wondered what was wrong with him, hoping it was some kind of condition or disease instead of what it could have been.

"Welcome to the _Glade_, _Greenie_," Newt said with a nod.

"Uh, thanks for the welcome," Leo said, not knowing what else to say. Newt's face softened as he noticed the accent, a smile appearing on his face.

"Didn't I tell ya you'd be good friends?" Hawk asked, elbowing Leo's stomach.

"Ow, bloody hell," Leo groaned as he moved his hands to his stomach, groaning in pain.

"Shuck, sorry," Hawk sighed, patting him on the shoulder. He looked back at Newt and then to Leo, suddenly feeling like he didn't belong in the room. "I'll uh, I'll just leave you two alone now."

As he rushed out of the room, he unknowingly slammed the door shut, shaking the room as the door fell off its hinges and smashed onto the ground. Leo stepped backwards and yelped as he just narrowly avoided being crushed by the wooden door.

"_Shuck_," Newt muttered. "Now someone's gotta fix it."

"W-What just happened?" Leo asked as he calmed down his panic, taking deep breaths to try and calm his heart rate back down to normal.

Newt shrugged, placing his hands in his pants pocket. "Nerves get him, then he doesn't think. Also, super human strength."

Leo slowly nodded as he looked away from the door and back to Newt, who was staring back at him. "I heard about your bloody fit out there," he said.

"Fit? What fit?" Leo asked.

"Punching the walls. Heard it from here." He chuckled, gesturing down to his bandaged hands. "_Shucked_ them bad, huh?"

"Yeah, you could say that." The bandages covering his hands now had splotches of fresh blood on them as the wounds hadn't completely healed yet. Leo looked over to Newt's bandaged leg and was tempted to ask, but the words couldn't leave his mouth. Something in the back of his mind told him it was more than just a simple injury, hence Hawk's uncomfortableness when inside the room.

"Did something bloody stupid, that's all," Newt said, interrupting his thoughts.

Leo looked up at his face, an eyebrow raised.

"The leg? You staring at it?"

"S-Sorry," Leo muttered. Newt shrugged, talking about his injury not seeming to bother him. "Is it broken or something?"

"Some bugging thing like that. Say I won't be walking without a limp now."

"Oh."

Newt moved closer to Leo, placing his hand on his shoulder. "Calm down _Greenie_," he said. "I'll be fine. Worry 'bout yourself."

Leo would never admit it, but he felt his heart beating even faster just from his touch that sent shivers down his spine.

"Since we're here, could you answer some of my questions?" Leo asked, a hopeful look in his eyes.

"Sorry _Greenie_," Newt said with a smirk. "You'll get answers tomorrow on the tour."

Leo groaned. "I have to wait till tomorrow?"

"Don't worry. Once ya know, you'll be glad we kept you in the dark."

"What do you mean by that?"

Newt chuckled as he glanced at him, sending a chill down Leo's spine. Something was definitely wrong with him, and it was only happening whenever he was around Newt. He'd only known him for a minute or two, but he almost felt like he'd known him forever.

"Don't think I can handle the information?" Leo asked, a smirk forming on his face. His nerves were pushed to the side as his sarcasm and sass finally started to form.

"Honest, I'd rather not having the bugging place torn cause of you."

Leo raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying I have anger issues or something? Because I don't. I was stuck in a dark bloody box."

"Whatever you say _Greenie_," he said with a smirk.

Leo looked away for a second before a smile formed onto his face. He looked back and the two just stared at each other until there was a knock on the door.

They turned and saw Hawk standing in the middle of the doorway, staring at the fallen door before looking back at them.

"Was that me?" he asked. "My bad."

"What's happening _shank_?" Newt asked.

"Look at the time. Dinner's cooked." He leaned up against the doorframe, looking outside the one window in the room. "The _Runners_ are back."

Newt looked down at his watch, not realising how much time had passed since he'd last checked. "Right on time."

"Hey, _Greenie_! It feels like it's been years since I last saw you!" Hawk said as he rushed over, grabbing hold of Leo's arm.

"It's only been three minutes," Leo said, looking back at Newt who nodded as he looked at his watch.

"Round here that's like forever. C'mon, we're gonna see Frypan. He's the cook 'round here."

"Hold on a second," Leo tried to say, but he didn't get the chance as Hawk dragged him out of the room, down the stairs and across the _Glade_. He struggled to get away from his grip, but his super human strength was taking effect and it was almost impossible to escape.


	4. Chapter Four

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own The Maze Runner nor any of the characters from it.

* * *

**CHAPTER FOUR:**

Hidden Messages and Solved Puzzles…

* * *

Day One; Part Three; The "Glade"

In a few seconds they had reached the kitchen, the other boys sitting at tables and eating their food, talking to each other and sharing a laugh or two. From what Leo had seen earlier, he wondered how these boys could act like this was their home and they were casually talking to their family members. His heart ached at the thought of these poor boys having to find comfort in each other because of their unknown relation to their families.

Leo looked down, wondering they had the guts to make their own families instead of trying to find their own. He gulped, hoping he could eventually do the same if he was going to be stuck here.

How cruel could someone be to kidnap children away from their parents, wipe their memories and chuck them in some trapped off location? How would this benefit anyone in anyway? Or was this just some sick type of game?

Hawk put a hand on Leo's shoulder, dragging him away his thoughts.

"C'mon Leo, Frypan's cooking casserole."

"It's not that great, but it's better than nothing," Newt said as he limped into the room, standing behind them. The good thing for him was that if you weren't paying attention, the limp was barely noticeable. And even though this seemed to be his first time walking, he didn't look to be in pain or anything.

"Is that cooking really _that_ bad?" Leo asked.

"Not really," Hawk said, shrugging. "C'mon, you must be hungry."

Hawk grabbed onto Leo's wrist, dragging him towards the front of the room. "I can walk you know," Leo said as he struggled to get out of his grip. "You don't need to drag me 'round the bloody place."

Hawk's grip seemed to tighten and he pulled even faster. "Stop. You're gonna rip my bloody arm off!"

He could hear the sound of Newt's chuckle behind him and he felt the blood rush to his face. He then quickly realised the attention they had drawn as all eyes in the room were on them. He looked away from the staring eyes as his breath hitched in his throat.

Maybe he didn't like being in crowds. Or being the centre of attention.

"Nothing to see hear _shanks_," Newt announced, making everyone turn their heads back to their food. Man, being the second in command must have its perks if everyone will listen to you in five seconds flat.

The three quickly reached the front where there was a small bench with many plates and utensils on it. Behind the bench stood a boy who, even though he was only a teenager, already had a full beard and was covered in hair. It almost looked like it was trying to escape his clothes.

"Frypan," Hawk said, giving a wave with his hand.

"Sucking up for more food?" Frypan asked with a smile. "It's not happening."

Hawk shook his head. "No, not today Frypan. I've got the _Greenie_."

"Ah, the newbie," he said, staring down at him. "Shorter than I thought he'd be."

Leo pouted, crossing his arms. "I'm not that much shorter."

"That's what you wanna believe," Newt said as he placed his hand on Leo's head, showing the size difference.

Frypan chuckled. "_Greenie_, long as you don't steal my shucking food, you're good in my book."

Leo nodded. "Good to know."

Frypan gave a smile as he grabbed one of the stacked plates. He placed a slice of casserole and two pieces of bacon in the middle, giving him a wink.

"I know how hungry _Greenie_'s get on their first day," he said.

Leo noticed how Hawk had gotten a plate as well, but with only one piece of bacon. Hawk – quite like a real hawk – stared down at the piece of bacon on Leo's plate, but didn't say a word.

"Thanks," Leo said as he took the plate off him.

Frypan glanced away from the _Greenie_ and moved his eye sight over to a person he hadn't seen in weeks. "Newt! Finally able to work again?"

Newt nodded. "Took shucking long enough," he muttered.

"Well, I'm glad you're out of bed. You are too?"

"Getting used to the leg. Doesn't hurt anymore."

Frypan looked down at Newt's leg for a second before quickly looking back to his face with a sympathetic smile. "I'm glad you're alright."

The two shared a knowing glance, making Leo curious as to what actually happened to Newt to cause the injury.

Hawk, wanting to get back the attention of the _Greenie_, smacked him on the back. Leo gasped as he felt the impact and jumped in surprise.

"Alright, let's go and eat!" he said as he put his arm around Leo's shoulders, dragging him over to an empty table seated at the right of the room.

…

"_Greenie_, how's the grub?" Hawk asked, noticing how Leo quickly dug into the food like he hadn't eaten in months, which could have been a possibility considering that he couldn't remember the last time he ate anything.

"It's…interesting," he replied, but continued to eat it anyway. While it might not have been the most amazing food in the entire world, it was enough to fill the burning desire for food in his stomach.

"So, this is the _Greenie_ I've heard about?" a voice asked. Leo turned his head to see an Asian boy with muscular arms and short black hair.

"Yep. Leo, the _shank_ who _shucked_ his hands," Hawk said, grabbing Leo's hands and lifting them up to show the bloody bandages.

The boy chuckled. "You've certainly made an impression _Greenie_. I'm Minho, the leader 'round here," he said as he pushed Hawk to the side to sit down next to Leo. Hawk grumbled as he moved to the other side of the table to sit next to Newt.

"I thought _Nick_ was the leader," Leo said, raising an eyebrow.

"That's what they want ya to think, but I'm in charge here."

"Do you expect me to believe that considering this is the first time I've met you?"

Minho smirked, amusement flickering in his dark eyes. During his time in the _Glade_, he was never able to get into sarcastic battles that lasted longer than two seconds. This would be an interesting change for him.

"Fan-bloody-tastic. We've got two annoying children," Newt said as he picked at the food on his plate.

"Oh don't be like that Newt, you love us," Minho said as he reached over the table and slapped him on the shoulder.

"Don't touch me _shank_."

Leo laughed, covering his mouth with his hand as Minho stared at him, looking him up and down with a smirk.

"Oh god, now what?" Leo asked, not knowing if he wanted to find out the answer.

"He's a pretty one ain't he?" Minho asked Newt, elbowing him.

"Are you interested?" Leo asked with a smirk.

Minho shrugged. "Nah, not that desperate."

"He's not lying though, you're very _pretty_," Hawk said, making Leo groan.

"Why does everyone keep saying that?"

"Looked in a mirror? You'd see for yourself _shank_," Minho replied.

"Haven't had the chance. Been quite busy recently. Besides, where would I find a mirror in this place?" Leo looked around the room.

"We've got a bright one here." Minho chuckled. "A thing called a bathroom?"

"So you don't call it something else? Like a bloody _Drop Zone_ or something?"

Hawk almost chocked on his food as he started to laugh.

"And where would this magical thing known as a bathroom be stored?" Leo continued.

"Round the corner."

"Oh, that's why you took so long to get here? Too busy in the bathroom?"

Minho scoffed. "Course. Take a lot of pride in my hair," he said as he started styling it with a smirk, making Newt groan.

"Yeah, it shows. Must have missed the mirror though."

"Why do you say that? I think it looks good."

"You must have been staring in the toilet cause it looks like _klunk._"

Minho moved back for a second, almost in shock.

"Picked up on our _shucking_ slang already?" Newt asked.

"It was the easiest one to learn. Plus, I also just wanted to say it," Leo said with a shrug.

Minho leaned forward again, a smile on his face instead of his usual smirk. "I think you and I are gonna be good friends _Greenie_."

"If you wanna be my friend, you gotta stop calling me _Greenie_. Start using my name," he said with a smirk as he went to stand up.

"I'll keep that in mind, Leo."

…

After the sarcastic banter with Minho, Hawk laughing his ass off at their back and forth and Newt trying to keep the peace – Leo headed towards the magical thing called a bathroom.

He wanted to take a shower and escape to a dark place where only his thoughts existed. He needed some alone time to comprehend everything that had happened in the past two hours.

In the past couple of hours that he had been here, he had been surrounded by at least one person. And not that it didn't have benefits as it had taken his mind off the whole "I've been kidnapped and chucked into this strange place and my memory's been wiped" thing, but Leo felt like he needed to go back to that phase and he needed to be alone to do so.

"_Shank_!" someone called.

Leo, not realising that someone was trying to talk to him continued to walk. "Pretty boy!"

Yeah, that made him stop in his tracks. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he turned around to face the person who had called him. He could recognise that voice from anywhere. It was the annoying bugger who had made fun of him in the first two seconds he had been here.

"Geez, I had almost forgotten that there could be such ugly looking people in the world. Glad you could help me remember," Leo said with a glare.

Gally's friends snickered, but quickly stopped themselves once they realised that Gally was staring at them with fire in his eyes.

"Least I'm not a pretty boy," he said back, but like that comment was going to affect Leo's self-esteem. He had been hearing that all day, like a comment from Gally was going to change that.

"Are you that thick to not remember my name, or do you just like constantly complimenting me on my good looks?"

"Does it matter what I call you?" Gally asked, ignoring the last comment. "You're either gonna be known as 'Pretty Boy' or _Greenie_. Take your pick."

"Is my name not an option?" Leo asked.

"Sorry, loser's not in my vocab."

His friends "oohed", making Leo roll his eyes. Deciding that this conversation was useless and served no purpose to him, he turned around and started walking again.

He felt a grip on his wrist and it felt like it was burning his skin. Leo hissed in pain as he tried to escape the death grip on his wrist. He was thrown down to the ground, Gally snickers being heard as Leo landed on the ground, groaning in silent agony.

"I wasn't even trying," he said to his friends, making them laugh. "You better get someone with a bit of muscle hanging 'round ya, or you won't survive a day here."

"And why wouldn't I survive here?"

"Skinny like a twig, no muscle." He grabbing hold of Leo's arm, holding it up which resulted in Leo being lifted a centimetre off the ground. He snickered as he noticed Leo trying to get out of his grip by kicking his legs, but Gally grabbed onto his legs and dropped him back to the ground.

"Face it, people like _you_ don't survive. You know where shanks like you are? Buried in the _Deadheads_."

"I'm also sure that arrogant pricks like you die suffocating from your own inflated ego," Leo said as he got back to his feet, cracking his back.

Gally scoffed. "Is the pretty boy trying to intimidate me? Ha! That's the best thing I've heard all day."

"Wow, you must be attracted to me if you constantly continue to call me pretty. I think you need to stop or you're going to become obsessed."

This comment made Gally's body filled with anger as his blood started to boil. "Do you wanna go _shank_?"

"Where? Are you asking me out?"

Gally raised his fist, ready to attack but Leo smirked. He grabbed hold of his fist and kept it away from him. "I don't think you wanna do that Gally. If I lost my pretty face, you wouldn't be interested anymore. Plus, I wouldn't want my face to end up as bloody disgusting as yours."

Gally growled, raising his other hand to punch him, but Leo dodged. He kept his hand on Gally's, refusing to let go until he'd made his point.

"Gally, calm down ya _shank_," one of his friends yelled as he grabbed him and pulled him back, making Leo lose his grip.

"He ain't worth it," another said with a glare.

"You just wait _shank_! You'll _shucking_ pay!" Gally screamed as he had to be held down by three people, but he continued to struggle none the less.

"I'll be waiting," Leo said with a wink, knowing that the simple action would send Gally into a fit of rage. And of course, he was right as Gally screamed and tried to charge at him, cursing and screaming with rage.

Leo smirked as he turned back around and went to the bathroom, shutting the door and locking it behind him so that no one – not just Gally – could enter.

And by locked, all he had done was place the provided wooden plank against the closed door.

He ran his hand through his hair, letting everything hit him like a boulder. Even after winning a fight with Gally, it wasn't enough to cheer up his mood as he stared into the corner of the room, his thoughts taking over as he stood in the room alone.

He had been kidnapped from his house, presumably his family and friends, had his memory erased and was dumped into the place the other inhabitants had called the _Glade_. He wondered how long the other boys had been trapped in this place inside the giant walls that loomed over them like towers.

As he stood in the bathroom, he wondered if his life before being dropped here had been a life worth living and that it should miss it. Did he have any parents, that was the first question he wondered. Then, he wondered if they loved him and treated him well. All these factors in how his life had been were missing, so he wondered if he could develop them from just thinking about what his life could have been like.

But, nothing seemed to work. It never did.

Tears fell down his cheeks as he sighed, cradling his head in his hands as he sobbed. Without any distractions, he was breaking down once again, but this time there was no one to help him or comfort him. But, that's what he needed. He needed to break down and gather his thoughts. He couldn't live in denial from the distractions of the other boys, he needed to face reality.

As he continued to sob, he felt lightheaded. He quickly leaned against the wall, wondering why the sudden change in his body. Maybe he was tired and all this stress on his body was taking its toll? At least, he hoped it was that and that he wasn't suffering from some kind of disease or something, cause that would be good in a place like this with no real doctors.

And then, he felt angry. He couldn't explain why he had suddenly stopped feeling sad and went straight to wanting to punch something, but he knew it must have been something natural for him. He didn't question it when his hand went to punch the wall. That is, until he felt the impact on his already injured hands and hissed in pain.

"Shit," he whispered under his breath as he held his hand. The bandages dulled the pain slightly as it made less of an impact with the little bit of protection, but it still made his eyes water even more. He felt like a knife had just gone through his knuckles, through the bones and out the other side.

_Maybe it wasn't the brightest idea to punch the walls while bloody injured. _

Stupidest thing he had ever done, besides not punching Gally in the face when he should have. But it made him question why he had self-control in that situation, but he didn't have self-control just then to not punch the wall.

Maybe he was already going insane and just didn't realise?

As he tried to ignore the burning pain in his hand, he went over to the sink. He planned to take the bandage off and inspect the damage and wash the blood off before he re-bandaged, but he got distracted.

He got distracted by his own face.

Compared to all the other boys he had seen during his time in the _Glade_, he noticed that his face was much more…girly then the others?

He had short medium ash brown hair that ended at the nape of his neck. His hair was flicked up at the front, but messily styled at the back. But it looked really good, much more than most of the other boys in the _Glade_. This made him think that the hair on his head was fake, or that whoever had kidnapped him had styled his hair before they sent him here.

His facial features were very girly as he had gorgeous green emerald eyes that seemed to sparkle when the reflection of light shined at him and had long eyelashes. He had porcelain skin with almost no imperfections on it, but he guessed that would change after spending a few days here.

And then there was his body. Scrawny and small. He had little to no muscle on his body, but you weren't able to see his bones easily either. Just average. And, he was short. He didn't want to believe it at the start, but he could tell now that he was shorter than most boys his age.

He had been given a black, long-sleeved shirt to wear (assuming he was dressed by the kidnappers) with black demin jeans and white sneakers. The shoes looked pretty expensive, not to mention brand new. And then there was this strange thing hanging from his neck which looked like a sliver dog tag. He wondered why giving him a dog tag was necessary, but he knew he would never find out the answer.

He poked his face to see if this was just a dream or reality. He pinched his cheeks and felt the stinging pain and sighed. "Wow," he muttered.

_Guess I see where the compliments come from. I'm the most girly looking in the entire place, no wonder there are so many people calling me "pretty". _

He looked at himself one more time, glaring.

_It's gonna get old real fast, _he thought as he remembered how many people had called him a "pretty boy". He really hoped that nickname wouldn't stick.

Knowing he wouldn't get another chance to shower for possibly a few days, he reached for the bottom of his shirt, pulling it up. But something in the mirror caught his eye. The sight of white underneath his shirt. He took a closer look and noticed that they were white bandages wrapped around his chest. Wanting to inspect it, he took his shirt off completely, chucking it onto the ground.

As he did, he heard a sound similar to metal hitting the ground, clinking on the floor. Ignoring it for the second, he went back to the bandages. No dust nor blood, so it ruled out a wound or injury.

He looked down to the ground to see what had dropped, even though he didn't know what it could have been considering the dog chain was still around his neck. He noticed a bobby pin lying on the floor.

_A bobby pin? Why would that have…?_

Knowing what the thing was, he moved his hand to the back of his hair, feeling two strange objects placed there. As he picked the bobby pin off the ground, he noted how the two objects felt the same. He took the things out to check and sure enough he was now holding two more bobby pins that had been placed in his hair.

They were a very similar colour to his hair, almost as if they were invented to be hidden so that no one would notice that you were wearing them.

His emotions quickly took over as his hands started to shake. His brain seemed to have no control over what his body felt like as he started feeling sick. He placed the pins on the side of the sink, and as he did he noticed something. A strand of hair from underneath his hair.

"The hell…?" he muttered to himself as he noticed the strand was a different colour from his hair colour. Curious, he pulled down on it, noticing that his brown hair seemed to move. As it did, he tilted his head slightly and the whole thing fell off. As he watched his hair fall to the ground, he noticed that it had been replaced.

As he looked in the mirror, he almost gasped in horror at what he saw. His brown hair had been replaced with strawberry blonde locks that reached just underneath his shoulders. They were slightly curled, giving it more volume than just having straight hair.

He stumbled backwards, his foot sliding on his shirt as he slammed down to the ground. He pushed himself back up to standing, leaning his back against the wall. As he did, he noticed something stabbing his leg from inside his pants. He quickly reached inside his pocket and felt pain.

He lifted his hand out and noticed that one of his fingers were bleeding and there was a small cut. Almost like a paper cut. It certainly stung like one.

Carefully this time, he reached into his pocket and grabbed hold of the piece of paper inside. As it pulled it out, he noticed that it was small and white, neatly folded in half to fit inside his pocket.

Sweat formed on his brow as he opened up the piece of paper, wondering what could be inside. He was expecting a blank page which nothing written on it. But, nothing was going the way he planned. His eyes widened as they filled with tears, scanning over the words.

Seven words written in thick, black pen was on the page, haunting his mind as his hands began to shake.

**Be careful.**

**They'll die if you tell.**

His legs began to shake, his body becoming unstable as the light-headedness came back, along with the butterflies in his stomach. His legs gave out as he collapsed onto the ground, his whole body feeling like it would stop functioning at any given minute. His throat felt tight, like there was a hope tightening around him, making him feel short of breath as he started to hyperventilate.

Tears fell down his cheeks as he tried to breathe, but he struggled as he choked on his own sobs. He started to scream as his brain seemed to give up on him and everything else took over. No matter what he tried to think or tell his body to do, it wouldn't respond and kept trying to break down.

The tears wouldn't stop no matter what he tried. He wondered if this is what could have happened if Hawk and Nick hadn't tried to calm him down. He felt like he could be sick at any minute as he felt like his skin was burning.

He had never felt this horrible in his entire life, and he never wanted to feel like this again. He was panicking. He was horrified. He was anxious.

He was having an anxiety attack.

Knowing that there were people watching him right now made him feel even worse. Knowing that those people could kill someone at any second for finding out something about him made him feel sick.

He heard the sound of people yelling outside the door as the handle started to move. Someone was trying to get in. He had almost forgotten that he wasn't alone.

"_Greenie_, you right in there?" Newt asked from outside the door. He would recognise that accent from anywhere, and it made him feel slightly better. But it wasn't enough to stop him hyperventilating and crying.

"Do I need to bust the door down?" he asked.

Leo couldn't respond, no matter how hard he tried to speak. He didn't know what to do, he couldn't control his own body.

Then there was banging on the door, Newt urgently trying to get into the bathroom. He could hear people yelling things, wondering what was happening to the _Greenie_.

Leo stood up and walked over to his shirt. Robotically, he placed it over his head, straightening it out like nothing had happened. He then moved over to the wig and folded his real hair underneath, pinning it down and making it look natural. He knew he wasn't instructing his body to do this, and he knew that his body wouldn't do this naturally in his current state of panic.

_What is happening to me? Who is doing this?_

The door suddenly burst open, the wooden plank smashing in two, and only then did he feel like he could control his own body as he fell down to the ground in tears, trying to control his breathing back to normal.

Nick, Alby and Newt stood in the doorway, staring down at him.

"What the…?" Nick muttered as he looked down at the distressed _Greenie_, noting the fresh blood on his bandaged hands. His cheeks were stained with tears as more and more continued to pour from his eyes. His breathing was unstable and rushed, almost as if he couldn't breathe.

He looked over to Alby, wondering if he had seen anything like this happen before, but he shook his head.

"_Greenie_, it's alright. Everything's going to be fine," Nick said as he took a step forward, hoping the _Greenie_ would utter a word. But Leo couldn't say anything. He felt hot, lightheaded and nauseous from all the stress, crying and pain he was suffering, not to mention because of the lack of air.

Nick looked back at the other leaders, shrugging his shoulders. His eyes cried out for help from anyone, but no one seemed to know what to do. All but one.

He noticed Newt looking down and realised what he was feeling. Newt had been through this sort of thing, during that dark time in the _Glade_ were nothing was going their way. He had been this emotionally distressed before. And there had been no one to help him through it.

"Newt, take the _Greenie_ somewhere quiet, away from the _Gladers_," Nick ordered with a calm voice.

Alby looked over with raised eyebrows. "You serious? That a good idea?"

Nick looked down at Leo and then back to Alby. "It's the only thing I can think of."

"You could lock him in the _Slammer_. Let him sleep there for the night," Ably said with no emotion, not being able to express his emotions into words.

Nick shook his head as he looked over at Newt. "He needs company, at least for the moment. We'll discuss the _Slammer_ once he's calmed down."

Newt looked over at Leo and nodded, moving closer to him.

"Good that," Nick said as he turned his back on the two, facing the gathering crowd of curious boys. "Leave. Nothing to see here. Back to work."

"_Greenie_," Newt said as he bent down to Leo's level, moving his arm over to Leo's back. "We need to go."

Unknowingly, Leo nodded as he slowly stood back up, still crying as Newt held his shoulder, guiding him out of the bathroom and out into the _Deadheads_, the only quiet place in the _Glade_.

Once they'd reached out of eyesight of the _Gladers_, Leo bent back down and sat underneath the tree, leaning his back against the trunk. Newt sat down next to him, not saying a word.

Leo looked over at Newt, noticing that his breathing had calmed down and that the tears were decreasing in numbers. Instead, he could feel his heart beating faster, but not in a panicked way. He felt his cheeks reddening when Newt looked back and noticed him staring.

"You okay _Greenie_?" he asked softly.

Leo nodded, looking away as he wiped the tears from his eyes. "I just…I don't know what to do," he whispered as he looked back at Newt, staring into his brown eyes.

He knew that he could get lost in them, but he didn't care.

Newt sighed as he scratched the back of his neck. "I don't know either."

Leo looked down at his hands, looking at the bandages. They were going to be a constant reminder of the pain that he was going to suffer while staying in the _Glade_. He just knew it. He started to rub his hands over them, playing with the loose parts slightly.

"You're a lot like me _Greenie_," Newt said, breaking him out of his thoughts. Leo looked up and noticed Newt was staring down at the ground. "We're both emotional bloody wrecks."

Leo nodded to himself as he sat in the comfortable silence, not feeling the need to burst out into conversation.

His hand reached out to the back of his neck, feeling the pins in his hair. Leo sighed as he looked down at his feet. No matter how much it scared him, or how much it hurt him, he had to face reality.

He wasn't a boy like he originally thought.

He was a girl disguised as a boy.

And anyone who found out her secret would end up dead.

His stomach turned as he looked at Newt who sat there, looking around the _Glade_ to watch the boys working through the trees and bushes. As Leo continued to stare, he knew something as his heart seemed to ache. He knew that no matter how much he wanted to be with Newt, it was never going to happen because he had to remain as a boy forever, or else he would die.

And that would be even worse than him not knowing the truth.


	5. Chapter Five

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own The Maze Runner nor any of the characters from it.

* * *

**CHAPTER FIVE:**

Death-Defying Wake Up Calls…

* * *

Day Two – Part One – The "Glade"

She sighed as she looked up at the pitch black sky, wondering why the stars hadn't appeared in the darkness. It seemed strange considering their location was in the middle of nowhere, where you can normally see the stars with ease. She stared at the _Glade_ through the window in the _Slammer_, the only thing in the room with the slightest entertainment in it.

And no, she wasn't thrown into the _Slammer_ – which she learnt was the _Glade_'s equivalent to a prison cell – because she was being punished. Nick wanted her to be by herself and relax for the night after her complete mental breakdown. She had overheard this decision was made because he hadn't done anything to help Newt, simply because he didn't know how, and he didn't want the same thing to happen again. She wasn't sure what had happened that was so traumatic to Nick, but she assumed it had something to do with Newt's injury.

She groaned as she pushed herself up, sitting with her back against the wall. Her back cracked as she stretched her limbs, escaping her from severe back problems that could occur if left untreated. Lying down on the rough ground without a mattress or even a pillow was simply messing with her body, and she felt uncomfortable from lying down for the past few hours.

She hissed in pain as the pins at the bottom of her hair dug into her sensitive skin, cutting through and leaving bloody cuts on her neck. As if things couldn't get worse, this was caused by lying down on them throughout the night. This, along with the constant thoughts she had during the night made it almost impossible to get sleep.

It also didn't help that an hour ago, a loud sound filled the silent _Glade_. She stood up and stared out the window as the grinding sound continued. But, she couldn't see anything that had changed in the _Glade_, and that made her worried. As soon as the noises stopped though, it went back to silence. She assumed that the noise must have been normal for the _Gladers_ as most of them seemed to sleep through it and no one made a sound.

She sighed as she lied back down on the ground, forcing her eyes closed to try and get at least an hour of sleep. The silence made her uncomfortable, so she hummed to herself until finally she felt herself fall into the dark-subconscious of sleep.

But of course, all good things must come to an end.

She felt her body moving on its own accord, and she started to panic, thinking that she had last control of her body again. Her eyes shot open as she tried to move away. She was just about to open her mouth to scream when a hand covered her mouth, preventing her from crying for help.

"Shush _Greenie_," a voice whispered in the darkness. "We don't wanna wake the entire _Glade_."

Even without being able to see him, she could recognise the voice from anywhere. She believed it was the English accent that gave it away. She sighed with relief as her body relaxed. Noticing this, he slowly took his hand away from her face.

"W-What are you doing here Newt?" she whispered. "I thought I was supposed to be left alone till the morning?"

He nodded. "I think you need to see this," he said with a smirk. "C'mon, I need to show you something."

"It can't wait?" she asked as he started walking out of the _Slammer_.

"No. It can't."

He walked out of the now wide open door, a key in his hand. He turned back to face her and held his hand out, waiting for her to grab it.

"I'm not waiting all day," he said with a smile.

She stared at his hand for a second before grabbing hold of it, the two of them pulling her out of the _Slammer_ and onto the soft grass. Though she didn't want to appear weak in front of him, considering she still had to maintain her image as a male, she really wanted to touch his hand.

"Follow me," Newt whispered. "And stay close."

_What else was I supposed to do?_

She nodded as Newt started to walk over the silent _Glade_, no one else awake or even the animals making a sound. She quickly followed behind, making sure that he could still be seen in the lack of light.

He turned back to her, signalling something before he took off into a run.

She groaned, taking off into a run after him. Her legs started to hurt from not having stretched from lying in a horrible position for the past seven hours, but she endured through it as she followed behind him.

And though the light was dim, there weren't any obstacles in her way that weren't just dark shadows. She could easily identify them and either dodged or jumped over them. She wasn't sure what they could have been.

Newt suddenly stopped right next to one of the massive, metal walls. She stopped as she stared at the top of the wall, feeling even smaller than she did once she entered the _Glade_. Standing underneath the huge shadow made her feel like an ant inside a house. It cascaded over the _Glade_ like giant skyscrapers – something that seemed to be familiar in her amnesia filled memory.

As Leo looked along the giant walls, she noticed a small red light that flashed every few seconds. The light moved, then stopped, the light turning on and off. The flashing light seemed to mesmerise her as she couldn't look away and followed it's every move.

"What's the flashing light?" she asked. The red glow emitting indicated something bad to her, almost like a warning to move away.

Newt stood a couple of feet in front of the ivy covering the walls, shrouding it like a curtain. "When you bloody need to know, you'll know _Greenie_."

She was starting to get annoyed at the lack of information being giving. Why were they being so secretive? Would it matter if they told her?

"Is there a reason why no one around here can answer questions? Is it like a rule or something?" Leo asked.

Newt shrugged. "Sort of. Never tell the _Greenie_ till the Tour."

Leo narrowed her eyes. "Well, that's a bloody stupid rule."

Newt turned back to face her, a smirk on his face. "You don't get to decide that. Now shut it and let me show you somethin'."

He stepped forward, digging his hands into the ivy. He pulled it apart, separating the vines away from the wall. Underneath was a dust covered window, dark like someone had painted over it with black.

"What are we looking at?" Leo asked.

"Calm it. One'll be comin' along soon enough."

Leo refrained from rolling her eyes as she stared out the window. She wondered what would be walking past that was worth showing her in the middle of dawn. And when it did pass, would she even know what to look for?

A minute had passed since the last word was spoken. Then two. Then three. Several minutes passed and still nothing had happened. And it was slowly driving Leo to insanity. She had no idea why, but she hated the silence. It made her uncomfortable and the anticipation was crawling up her spine. She kept fidgeting with her bandages, waiting for when something would jump out at her and scare the living daylights out of her.

Newt remained in the same position he had been since the start, standing still and patiently as he stared into the darkness.

Leo had no idea how he could do that without having the need to move or speak, but she wished she was able to do that.

Finally, after many minutes, something changed. A glimmer of light shined through the window, eerie how it had just appeared without an explanation – like a horror movie.

Leo squinted as she tried to make out what was causing the sudden light. She gulped when she noticed something else.

"Out there's the _Maze_," Newt whispered. She jumped slightly, the sudden noise startling her. "Everything we do – our whole life _Greenie_ – revolves around the _Maze_. Every lovin' second of every lovin' day we spend in honour of the _Maze_, tryin' to solve somethin' that's not shown us it has a bloody solution, ya know? And we want to show you why it's not to be messed with. Show ya why them buggin' walls close shut every night. Show ya why you should never, never find your butt out there."

_That noise from last night, was that the sound of the walls of the Maze closing?_

Newt took a step back, still holding onto the vines to keep them separate. Leo took a step closer to him, looking out through the window. She leaned forward until her nose was a few centimetres away from the glass.

It took a second to get adjusted to the moving object that was on the other side of the glass as she tried to look past all the grime and dust. She wanted to know what Newt had seen, or what he wanted her to see.

And she did. And she felt like she had forgotten how to breathe, a shiver running up her spine.

What she saw was a large, bulbous creature the size of a cow. But it had no distinct shape. It seethed along the ground in the corridor of the Maze. It climbed the wall opposite to them and leaped. It smashed into the window with a loud crash, causing Leo to shriek.

She stumbled back and fell to the ground as she tried to crawl away. The creature bounced back, leaving the window – somehow – undamaged. It took a few seconds before Leo could breathe again after the initial shock.

It was too dark to see clearly, but there were strange lights that flashed from somewhere in the darkness, revealing silver spikes and glistening flesh. There were many sharp and dangerous objects coming out of its body like arms – things like a saw blade, sheers and long rods. The creature was a horrific experiment between an animal and a machine. She assumed the reason it had jumped at the window was because it had seen her and wanted to devour her skin, organs and whatever else it could handle.

She had never seen something so disgusting and horrifying before, at least she assumed that because she couldn't remember anything else in her life. She pushed herself back up to stand, fear taking over her body.

"W-What the bloody hell is _that_ thing?!" Leo asked.

"We call 'em _Grievers_," Newt answered. "Nasty bugger, eh? Just be glad _Grievers_ only come out at night. Be thankful for those walls."

Leo swallowed down her fear as she took another step back away from the window. Anytime she would look up at the walls, she would be somewhat grateful for their existence. And from what she had gathered about being a _Runner_, she knew they ran into the _Maze_. She was amazed at how much bravery they had to run in the everyday with there being a chance of encountering once of those _Grievers._

"Well, now you know what lurks in the bloody _Maze_, my friend. Now you know this isn't joke time. You've been sent to the _Glade_, _Greenie_, and we'll be expectin' ya to survive and help us do what we've been sent here to do."

"Sent here to do?" Leo repeated. "What would that be?"

Newt's face hardened, tension rising in his body as his muscles locked into place. He stared at her, expressionless.

"Find our way out _Greenie_," he said. "Solve the buggin' _Maze_ and find the way home."

…

The walk back to the _Glade_ – while more refreshing than the journey to the dreaded window – was still a little nerve racking for Leo.

"Everyone acts like that," Newt said, referring to her reaction to the _Griever_. "It's normal."

"That's now what bloody worries me. What if, what if one got into the _Glade_?" she asked.

Newt chuckled. "Ain't gonna happen _Greenie_. Not with those walls. Close like clockwork, every night."

Leo nodded, thanking the unknown gods for at least giving them some kind of protection. And since Newt knew what he was talking about and he had said it with such confidence, she believed that there was no way one could come into the _Glade_ while they were sleeping and slaughter them.

They reached the _Slammer_ once again and Leo sighed, staring at the wooden bars that had trapped her throughout the night. "Will I be able to get out of the _Slammer_ again today?" she asked as she stepped inside.

Newt closed the door and locked it behind her. "All depends on Nick," he said with a smile. "Sit tight. We'll figure something out."

"It shouldn't be that hard of a decision. I didn't do anything wrong."

"That's not enough 'round here." And then he walked away, leaving her alone once again. She sighed as she sat down on the ground, rubbing her eyes as she yawned. The ridiculously early wakeup call – while it gave her some time alone with Newt – made her feel even more tired than she had last night. Considering that she might not even be released from the _Slammer_, she decided to try and go back to sleep.

It was much easier than last time she tired because it only took a few minutes before she was out like a light.

…

"_Greenie_," a voice yelled, waking her from her slumber. There was a knock on one of the bars which made her shoot up to sit, noticing that it was Hawk.

"Morning," he said with a wave. "How's it going?"

Leo frowned as she rubbed her eyes, removing the sleep from her eyes. "I love being thrown in jail and then being woken up like that."

Hawk just laughed, unlocking the door on the _Slammer_. He handed her a plate with bacon and eggs, a wooden fork lying on the side. She looked up, wondering why he was giving her breakfast.

"Thought you'd be hungry," he replied.

She nodded as she picked up the fork. "Thanks," she muttered.

"You're lucky Frypan saved you some. Someone else would've taken it otherwise."

"Someone like you?" she asked as she stabbed one of the eggs with a fork, the yolk running out onto the plate.

"Yeah, someone like me."

She stared down at the egg on her fork, wondering if she would be able to stomach it after what she'd seen. She took a chance and placed it in her mouth, devouring it as she swallowed. She sighed with relief once as she didn't feel sick and proceeded to take another bite of her food.

"Newt show ya the _Grievers_?" Hawk asked.

"How did you know that?"

He shook his head. "I was a _Greenie_ once ya know. You hesitated before eating. I couldn't even look at food after what I'd seen. I didn't eat for three _shucking_ days before Frypan shoved some food in my mouth."

"Oh," she said as she stabbed the piece of bacon.

"You've got a strong stomach than me kid."

As Leo took another bite, she removed any thoughts about the horrid creatures and continued to eat her food, so glad for the amazing taste of Frypan's cooking. But it might have only tasted amazing because of the lack of food she'd eaten.

Yeah, that might have been it.

…

"_Greenie_, it's been a while," Nick said as he bent down, unlocking the door on the _Slammer_. "Glad to know you're still alive."

Leo didn't know if she should take it as a compliment or an insult.

"Feeling better?" he asked.

"Yeah, thanks," she said as she stepped out of the _Slammer_, sighing with relief as she stretched.

"Good that. Glad I could help…I did this for your own good, right?"

She nodded. "I know."

He looked away for a second before he changed the subject, the smile on his face growing wider. He was glad he had done something right as the leader, and he was glad he could help someone. He only wished he could have been this smart and considerate when the others needed him.

"Had breakfast?"

Leo nodded, which made Nick smile again. "Good. We don't want ya on an empty stomach 'round here. Shanks like that get distracted. We want ya to remember all of this, got it? You're living here after all."

_Living here._

Those two words didn't seem comforting. As she looked around the _Glade_, it made her feel like there was no hope for escape, of getting out. Like she was going be stuck in this place forever. And with the _Grievers_ running around, she was wishing she back in the _Slammer_. At least she had been safe there.

"You're a little pale _Greenie_. Ya look out the window?" Nick asked and she nodded. As the leader, he must have been able to recognise the symptoms because of how many _Greenie_'s had shown up.

"I knew Newt couldn't wait till tomorrow. He likes routine. It's what keeps us sane here. If that was thrown out of order-"

"It'd be chaos?" she interrupted.

"Yes. Chaos."

He placed his hand down on Leo's shoulder. "Should we get the Tour started?"

She shrugged. "Might as well. Postponing it isn't gonna help."

He smiled as he walked forward, making sure she followed behind him as they walked over to their first destination. The place where it all started.


	6. Chapter Six

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own The Maze Runner nor any of the characters from it.

* * *

**CHAPTER SIX:**

Touring the Foreign Land…

* * *

Day Two – Part Two – The "Glade"

The two stared down at the now closed _Box_. The double doors lied down on the ground, covered in white paint. The sun had finally risen and it shined over the _Glade_ as most of the boys went to work.

"This is the _Box_," Nick said, pointing at the doors. "Once a month, we get a new _Greenie_. Once a week, we get supplies. Clothes, food, whatever they decide to give us. As you can tell, we ain't needing a lot."

"So, you pretty much run this place by yourselves?" Leo asked, crossing her arms. Nick nodded. "You don't know anything about this _Box_?"

"Bingo. We don't know where it came from, how it gets here, who's in charge. The shanks that put us here haven't said a thing."

"Why am I not surprised," she muttered.

"We got all the electricity we need, grow and raise most of our food, get clothes and such. We tried to send a _Greenie_ back in the box one time. Thing wouldn't move until we took him out."

"Must have programmed it well. It seems to know when someone's still in there and it knows when to come back down. They must have put a lot of effort into this stupid thing."

"You've got quite a brain there _Greenie_," he said, patting her on the back. "We'll need intelligence. Some _shanks_ don't know _klunk_ 'bout anything."

Leo nodded. Nick smiled, pointing over to the _Glade_.

"_Glade_'s cut into four sections," he continued. "_Gardens_, _Blood House_, _Homestead_, _Deadheads_. Got it?"

Leo didn't answer, she just raised an eyebrow.

Nick turned to look at her, trying not to laugh at her expression. He pointed to the northeast corner – fields and trees filled with fruits. "_Gardens_, where we grow crops. Water's pumped through pipes underground, always has been or we'd have starved to death."

"Why do you need pipes underground? Doesn't in rain here?"

Nick shook his head. "Never."

He then pointed over to the southeast corner – animal pens and the barn. "_Blood House_, where we raise and slaughter animals."

Leo paled at the thought of an animal being slaughtered. It made her feel nauseous at the thought of watching the blood pour from the animal.

"Oh god," she said.

He turned around and his eyes widened. "You okay _Greenie_?"

"I'm just gonna sit down for a minute."

She bent down slowly, her stomach in knots as she felt like she was going to be sick. The thought of the animal made her feel sick.

Nick decided to move onto the next place, knowing how a lot of _Greenie_'s acted when they heard about the _Blood House_.

He pointed to a shanty looking building where the _Med Jacks _had treated her injuries. "_Homestead_ – it's twice as big than when we first got here. Kept addin' to it when they'd send wood and klunk."

"Is it stable enough?" Leo asked, even though she had spent about a few minutes in there already, from the front it didn't look like anything that would last in a hurricane or storm.

"It ain't pretty, but it works. I'm sure Hawk told ya how most of us sleep outside anyways, so nothing to worry 'bout."

Leo nodded, liking the distraction from the animal slaughtering. She slowly pushed herself up, standing back up to face Nick. He pointed to the south-west corner – the forest area. "_Deadheads_ – graveyard. It's in the back corner, in the thicker woods. Ain't much else."

"Guessing it's quiet there?"

"Yep. You can go rest, hand out, whatever ya want." He glanced at her, signifying that that was the end of that conversation. "You'll spend the next two weeks workin' one day for our different job _Keepers_ until we know what's best for ya."

"Jobs? What are the jobs 'round here?"

"There's _Slopper_, _Bricknick_, _Bagger_, _Track-Hoe _– somethin'll stick, always does."

She just stared at him, blinking in confusion. "Uh, what were the jobs again?"

Nick chuckled, patting her on the back as he pushed her forward. Knowing that her question wasn't going to be answered, she started to walk as he pulled ahead, making her follow him. They headed towards the _South Door_, located between the _Deadheads_ and the _Bloodhouse_.

The two places she already hated.

As they walked past the animal pens, she pinched her nose from the disgusting smell from the animals, along with the smell of rotting corpses and death. The thought that people had actually died here sent a shiver down her spine. Especially since they were all teenagers who had been sent here against their will. They were too young to die. They would have died with no memories of their past life, their parents anything. They would have died alone.

If she ever met the sick people that put them here, she knew she would end up killing them.

Nick pointed to the large barn, the red paint covering it had faded to a dull rust colour. "Back there's where the _Slicers_ work. Horrible stuff, that. Well, if ya like blood, you can be a _Slicer_."

The thought made her feel nauseous. "Think I'll pass," she said as she tried not to gag at the sight.

To keep her mind off it, she looked over to the _Deadheads_, where there was nothing but trees and grass. The colour came back to her face, imaging the peace and quiet that was there. Lying under the shaded trees, the sun shining down on her, acting like a normal teenager.

She looked up to see the glaring sun, squinting as she covered her eyes with her hands. It seemed to be more orange than she thought it would be, or what she assumed it should be. She didn't know why she thought this, but there were a lot of things that surprised her about herself.

To keep herself from burning and going blind, she looked back to the _Deadheads_. She wasn't sure if it was just her imagination or if it was because of the blinding light, but she saw a red flashing light. The same type of flashing light that she'd seen earlier that morning.

Nick stopped walking and she stopped right before she crashed into him, knowing that they had now reached the _South Door_. The two walls that showed some kind of exit towered above her. Every time she looked at them, she felt even smaller than the first time.

Nick turned, facing his back against the exit as his face changed from its usual, bright smile to a frown. "Out there's the _Maze_."

Leo looked down the path of the "_Maze_", the corridors looking the same as the one she had seen by the window. She took a slight step back, fear running through her body as she thought of what lurked in the dark corners.

What if one of those _Grievers_ came out during the day and attacked?

What if Newt wasn't as sure about their safety as he claimed to be?

She shook her head, realising that she was just scaring herself. She was making herself paranoid when there was no reason to.

"Two years I've been here," Nick continued. "Ain't none been here longer. The few before me are already dead. _Shuckin_' walls move out there at night just as much as the doors."

"T-The walls move?"

Nick nodded. "Mappin' it out ain't easy. Nothing's easy in here. The number one rule 'round here, the only one you'll never be forgiven for breaking. Ain't nobody – nobody – allowed in the _Maze_ expect the _Runners_. Break that rule, and if you ain't killed by _Grievers_, we'll kill you ourselves. Got it?"

Leo gulped, hoping that he was exaggerating, but his face said otherwise. "Don't worry, I don't want to go out there anyway."

"Good that. You're smart for thinking that."

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed something moving. On the left wall of the _South Door _was a patch of silver. She turned her head, but the thing had disappeared into the ivy, shaking them as it hid.

"What the bloody hell is that thing?" she whispered as she pointed to it.

Nick looked and sighed. "_Beetle Blades_. It's how the _Creators_ watch us."

"_Creators_?" Leo asked.

"Yeah, the _shanks_ that sent us here."

"Why _Creators_ though? I thought you'd come up with a weirder name."

"They created this _shucking_ thing didn't they? That's why. Oh, and by the way, I'd advise you not touch it."

"The _Beetle Blade_?" Nick nodded. "Why?"

"I'm not sure why, but I know if you touch 'em, you get hurt. Someone tried once, didn't end so well."

"T-They died?" Leo asked, moving even further back from the wall.

"No. No. Nothing _that_ bad. They're finger was paralysed. Couldn't use it for two weeks. _Shuck_ if I know what happened to it."

"Oh..."

_That's not as bad as I thought it was gonna be. But, still…_

"Anyway, enough of that. We need to get ya started on work. Meet me in half an hour – the _Homestead_. I have matters to take care of."

Nick smiled, his face lighting back up. Leo wondered if he suffered from a disorder called bi-polar, as he seemed to switch his personalities in the blink of an eye. She also wasn't sure how she knew that either.

Nick turned around and walked away, past the working _Gladers_. Leo stood there, wondering where she was supposed to go. She looked around but found no indication of what she was supposed to do. She sighed.

_Left alone on my second day here…Now what do I bloody do?_

…

Leo stuck her hands in her pockets as she walked around the _Glade_, watching the other boys doing their jobs. She had made mental notes on what the jobs actually were and which ones she knew she would be terrible at.

For example, the _Slicers_ and the _Baggers_. _Slicers_ were the ones that cut the animals open and the _Baggers_ were the ones who stayed with the dead bodies of past _Gladers_. Yeah, neither of those things sounded like her thing.

She estimated that it had been half an hour since her encounter with Nick – thought she wasn't sure if she was right or not. She decided to head over to the Homestead. If she was early, then she could hang out there for a while. If she was late, well that wasn't her fault.

She walked into the _Homestead_, seeing Nick, Alby and Newt standing in the corridor. Newt leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, while Alby stared at her with his permanent scowl.

"Welcome back _Greenie_," Nick said with a smile. "We've gotta start you on your job training. So, Alby's decided where you're gonna start. But I don't think you're gonna like it."

_Oh shit, _she thought, her stomach already acting up.

Alby's faced hardened – if that was even possible considering – as he spoke. "You're working with the _Slicers_. No complaints _Greenie_."

_Fan-bloody-tastic._

"C'mon _Greenie_, you've got lots of work to do," Newt said as he walked over, placing his hand on her back as he pushed her out the door. They walked across the _Glade_, the closer they got the more pale she got.

"_Greenie_, you're looking paler than normal," he said as he stopped walking.

"I have to go and slaughter a poor defenceless animal," she said as she put her hands to her stomach. "I feel like I'm gonna be sick thinking about it."

"Don't worry _Greenie_, its normal. Most hate blood anyway."

Leo felt a bit better at that, knowing that it wasn't just her being weak and that these boys were like that as well. If there anything she didn't want, it was for them to raise suspicions about if she was really a "boy" or not.

"We've gotta meet _Keeper_ Winston."

Leo gulped as they stood in front of the door to the _Bloodhouse_. _There's someone out there sick enough to want to do this job? _She sighed as Newt opened the door and walked inside, forcing her to follow.

…

Winston was an acne covered kid who was surprisingly shorter than her, but still muscular. And much to her dismay, he seemed to enjoy slaughter poor, defenceless animals way too much. As this was her first encounter with the kid, she really didn't want to think any bad thoughts about him, but knowing that he didn't mind killing animals made her think of him as a potential serial killer.

"Nice to meet ya _shank_," Winston said, holding out his hand for her to shake. Looking down at it, she hesitated as she inspected it for blood. Winston noticed her distress and chuckled.

"There's no blood _Greenie_." She took another look before she nodded, shaking his hand as he smiled.

Newt nodded. "_Greenie_, I'll leave ya to it. Have fun." He patted her on the back before he walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him. Leo suddenly became very uncomfortable, knowing that she was no left alone in the Bloodhouse.

_Great. This is just bloody great. This is not going to end well._

Winston suddenly moved away from her, taking a few steps back once he noticed her staring off into space with a horrified look on her face. When she got out of her gaze, she noticed Winston rubbing his hands against his shirt, avoiding eye contact with her.

When his eyes met hers for a second, he quickly looked away. "You're not gonna hurt me, are you?" he asked.

_This must be because of my outburst in the Box, and my panic attack from last night…Do I really seem that destructive?_

She shook her head. "No. The worst I'm gonna bloody do to you is chuck up on ya."

Winston sighed with relief, chuckling as he smiled. "Wouldn't be the first time _Greenie_."

"So, lots of people hate it here?"

He nodded. "Don't worry, you ain't the first."

Leo smiled, relieved that this was perfectly normal behaviour. And he seemed really nice about the situation as well. She wondered if she could overlook the slaughtering animals part and be able to make friends with him. Also, she might need to stop judging people based on their jobs, cause so far it wasn't going the way she anticipated. Which she guessed was a good thing.

…

"Since you'll be workin' here today, I might as well show ya 'round," he said as they walked outside the _Bloodhouse_. He pointed over to one of the pens that was filled with pigs and cows. "This is one of our two pens. Other's filled with sheep and goats. The wool from the sheep makes our clothes. The skin of cows makes us leather."

And now the image of Winston skinning a cow with an indifferent look on his face was imbedded in her brain, and would never leave. It made her skin crawl.

"Over there is the chicken and turkey coop. You can guess what we use that for. We keep the chickens alive to cook their eggs. When they become useless, let's just say we have chicken that night."

Now she imagined him ripping the leg off a chicken and eating it like a lion eating a gazelle. Now that image was never going to leave either.

Then, she felt something. Something was rubbing against her leg. Curious, she looked down and saw a black Labrador sitting at her feet, rubbing its soft head against her right leg. Her heart fluttered as a huge smile went across her face.

"I think he likes you," Winston said.

Leo bent down, moving closer to the dog. "What's his name?" she asked as she placed her hand on his head gently. He lifted his head to reach her hand, wanting to get closer to her.

"His name's Bark, named him myself. He's the most silent dog I've ever seen. Never makes a sound."

"Isn't that ironic?" she asked.

Bark panted sticking his tongue out as she scratched behind his ear.

"Pretty much. It's the only quiet thing 'round here. Plus, he keeps us company if we get lonely."

She stared in amazement down at the dog. "How'd he even get here? Did you bring him in the _Box_ with you?"

"Nah, he was always here. Not sure why the _Creators_ would send a dog, but it's something."

Leo stared back down at the dog, a sad smile making its way onto her face. This dog seemed so happy and so full of life, it made her feel horrible to think that people had sent it here to be imprisoned like them.

"Well, we should start the tour again," Winston said as a minute of silence passed, staring down at the dog. Leo nodded as she stood herself back up, brushing herself off before she started walking behind him. She smiled when she heard the sound of Bark's panting behind her as he followed, staying close to her right leg.

She wondered if she was a dog lover before she came up in the _Box_.

…

After the tour – which had taken longer than expected because of Bark – he let her start working with the farm animals. This included feeding them, cleaning, fixing the fence and scraping up _klunk_.

_Klunk_, she thought to herself.

It was the only _Glader_ slang that she had picked up and knew how to use correctly, mostly because it was the easiest to understand. And while the word was used to describe something disgusting, it was sort of charming as it made her think of how she was starting to get used to living in the _Glade_.

While feeding one of the chickens, she watched at the way it behaved around not only her but around the _Glade_ itself. It seemed almost at peace, like it belonged here. The animals didn't seem to behave anything out of the ordinary, but then again she couldn't remember how animals were supposed to act so she wasn't sure. But she knew they acted like they had lived their entire lives on this farm in the _Glade_.

Which got her thinking, did they arrive here before the boys did? Did the _Creators _keep them locked up for so long that they just became accustomed?

It seemed weird to think, but how long had this place existed before they put people inside? How long did this take to plan? Why would they use teenage boys and why would they even thinking of inventing something like this?

It all seemed unreal. And cruel.

…

The third hour of her work was the most exhausting and traumatising thing that she had ever witnessed, at least from what she could remember. She was forced to watch as Winston slaughtered a hog, preparing its body parts for dinner that night.

All she could remember from that hour was feeling light headed, vomiting in the corner, crying as her eyes as she listened to the hog's squeals, and the blood. And then, just to rub it in even more, it was her _lunch_ break. She knew that she would never eat another animal ever again, and the thought of her eating the piece of bacon from yesterday made her feel ashamed of herself.

Winston "offered" to stay behind at the _Bloodhouse_ – for reasons she didn't want to know – letting her go by herself to the kitchen. She was glad that he didn't explain his reasons, as it probably would have made her sick again. But she was glad to get out of that place none the less, glad to get away from the horrid smell of copper.

All that she knew from today was that she would NEVER become a _Slicer_.

On her way to the kitchen, she bumped into Hawk who understood her situation and tried to get her to eat again. He had been in the same sort of situation when he was in the _Bloodhouse_.

"C'mon, just one bite," Hawk said, waving the fork with food on it in front of her face. It was a piece of meat, but she wasn't sure from what kind of animal, but none the less it disgusted her.

"If you want me chucking up all over the place, I will. But if you don't want me to, you'll get that bloody fork out of my face," Leo said, glaring.

Hawk placed the fork back down on his plate, sighing as he moved it away from himself. "You need to eat."

"I know that. I'm not that stupid." She rolled her eyes. "Aren't you a hypocrite anyway considering the fact that you didn't eat for-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. And that was stupid. We had less jobs back then, so I didn't have to work as hard. I only had to work for three days. You have to work for two weeks straight, ya shank."

Leo looked at the food on Hawk's plate before she shook her head. "I'll eat."

Hawk's face lightened up, thinking he had won. "But no meat. None."

Hawk glared. "You're a stubborn one…Frypan! Get some fruit!"

A few seconds later, Frypan walked over with a bowel of fruit and placed it in front of Leo. She nodded at him before she took an apple and started eating it.

"At least you won't have to cook as much," Leo said and that brought a smirk to Frypan's face.

"I'm likin' ya more and more _Greenie_," he said before he walked away.

…

As she lied down in her sleeping bag that night, she felt the warmth surrounding her body and she sighed with relief. Her body relaxed as she started to get comfortable lying on the ground. She knew she could get used to it.

She listened to the peaceful snores from the other boys surrounding her, the night otherwise silent. The loud noises from last night had arrived again, and she watched as the _Doors_ shut. It amazed and terrified her at the same time.

The technology that the _Creators_ would have had to develop showed how much dedication that had into locking teenagers inside a giant _Maze_. It was also fascinating to think of how they would think this was a good idea. It was also fascinating to think of how much money they wasted on torturing them.

As if a message from them, the pins dug into her skin, keeping her awake. She prayed to herself that whatever she had in the bathroom when she discovered this wouldn't come back. All she had to try and do was remain calm. But upon knowing that, she felt tears stinging her eyes as her breaths became heavier for no reason. She had no idea why she started to panic or what brought it on, but she knew she had to stop it before she had a full mental breakdown. Not knowing what else to do, she took out the pins, thinking that those might have been the things that caused her panic. She placed them down right next to her so that she wouldn't lose them for the next morning as her body slowly started to relax.

It took a while before her breaths became stable, but she sighed with relief once she figured out that she could control it somehow. And without the pins digging into her neck, she could lay down peacefully. She closed her eyes as she thought of the stars in the sky, letting sleep overtake her body.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own The Maze Runner nor any of the characters from it.

* * *

**CHAPTER SEVEN:**

To Find The Right Job… (Part I)

* * *

Day Three – Cooking – The "Glade"

The bright sun shining woke her for her third day in the _Glade_. She knew that today she would be working inside the kitchen with Frypan to cook all the meals for the _Gladers_. Well, all of them expect breakfast.

"Welcome _Greenie_," Frypan introduced. "To my kitchen." He held his hands out, gesturing to the small kitchen the two were currently standing in. While it was smaller than she would have expected considering the amount of people they have to feed, there was quite a lot of food stored. The shelves were filled with supplies of foods and herbs.

"They really do send a lot up here, don't they?" Leo asked, staring in awe at the amount of food. She walked over to one of the shelves and picked up a bowel filled with salt, another filled with pepper.

Frypan nodded. "Good though. Quite a lot of variety to cook with these ingredients." He put his hand on another shelf, admiring the food like it was his most prized possession. And considering that he seemed to be the only cook in the entire _Glade_, he had probably become really close to it.

During her time spent in the kitchen, Frypan taught her a lot of things about cooking. Such as how to cook things over open fire, what spices go with what food, and how to multi-task when cooking different types of food at once. And while thinking this, she didn't want to seem arrogant or anything, but she thought she picked it up pretty quickly. She wondered if it was because she was a girl, but quickly got rid of that thought, considering it was just stereotyping the entire gender.

She felt a bit sick though once the slices of hog came in. Winston placed the down on the counter, then walked back out without saying a word. She turned her head away quickly so she wouldn't see the poor, mutilated creature, feeling her stomach churn.

"_Greenie_, you okay?" Frypan asked.

Leo shook her head. "I hate Alby," she muttered.

Frypan looked at the hog and then back at Leo, understanding. "Oh, you were at the _Slicers_ yesterday huh? Man, he's a bit of a shank making you do this after that…I'll cook it. You prepare something else."

"Thanks," she said with a nod as she quickly moved herself over to the bench away from the hog, staring down at the ingredients she was going to use. She was glad that she could only hear the sounds of the stove sizzling instead of watching it. She didn't know what she was going to be cooking exactly as she shoved the ingredients into the pan, all she knew was that it looked disgusting. She had no idea if half the stuff she was using were vegetables, some strange type of herb/garnish or some kind of meat.

And then, she accidentally touched the side of the boiling hot pan. While trying to grab the salt, her left hand came in contact with the pan and burnt her skin. She hissed in pain as she quickly moved away from the pan, shaking her hand.

"Bloody hell," she cursed.

Frypan turned around, quickly moving over to a bucket that was on the ground. "Stick your hand in this," he said.

Without thinking, she did as she was told and stuck her hand inside the bucket. Luckily for her, it was freezing cold water.

"Better?" he asked and she nodded, the cold water taking the pain away from the burn. "Always stick your hand in cold water after getting burnt. Learnt that from Clint."

"Thanks," she said and he smiled.

"Lesson learned _Greenie_. Always watch what you're doing."

…

"I never knew Frypan could cook this good," Minho said, stuffing his face with the food shoved on his plate. Leo smirked.

"That's because _I_ cooked that," she said as she pointed at it.

Minho stopped eating for a second before looking back down at the food. "Even the meat?"

She shook her head. "No, not the meat. That's Frypan's speciality."

It was dinner at the _Glade_ and the _Runners_ had come back from inside the Maze. Since the _Runners_ were allowed to eat before everyone else, they were the only ones that filled the kitchen, besides Leo and Frypan of course.

"Still afraid of the _Slicers_?" Minho asked as he shoved a piece of meat in his mouth. "They ain't that scary shank."

"First of all: Don't talk with your mouth full, it's impolite. Secondly: It's not the _Slicers_ I'm afraid of, I just don't like meat."

"But you ate it for breakfast yesterday."

"Yeah, don't remind me," she said as she sunk down into her chair.

"So, does this make you a…damn it, what are those things called?" Minho questioned as he looked up, almost as if he was trying to contact his brain to help him.

"Vegetarian - a person who does not eat meat or fish, and sometimes other animal products."

Minho was quite for a second before nodding. "Yeah, that thing."

Leo didn't say anything as she stared down at her plate. How did she know what the word Minho was searching for? And how was she able to provide a perfect description of what the word meant?

And the way she said it, it was like a robot would. It didn't feel like her. And as soon as she said it, she couldn't remember what she had said or what the word even meant. It was gone.

"How did you know that?" Minho asked as he stabbed a piece of tomato with his fork, raising an eyebrow at her.

She shrugged. "I have no idea. What did I say?" she asked.

"Vegetarian. A s_hank_ who doesn't eat meat…You don't remember?"

She shook her head. "No. But, I guess I'm a vegetarian then."

Minho stared at her for a second, wondering how she could have forgotten that so quickly. No one in the _Glade_ had ever spoken something like that and then completely forgot about it the next second.

"…You're one strange _shank_, _Greenie_."

* * *

Day Four – Builders – The "Glade"

Her fourth day in the _Glade_ was more tiresome than working in the kitchen. She would be working her butt off building and repairing things. And of course, because the Universe seemed to hate her existence, she would be working with Gally.

Gally was the _Keeper_ of the _Builders_.

Of course he was. And of course neither of them liked each other, so it made the whole process that much more infuriating.

"Hey, Pretty Boy," she heard Gally call from behind her. She took a deep breath before she turned around, trying not to show his anger. "Take these to the _Homestead_. You're repairing the door."

He chucked six nails and a hammer at her and she ducked as it just narrowly missed her head, landing on the ground behind her.

She stood back up, looking down at the building materials and then back at Gally. "Watch we're your throwing ya bloody _wanker_!"

Gally smirked, clearly not understanding what the insult meant. He just seemed to be amused at the fact that he had almost injured her. She heard laughter from behind her and turned and saw Newt standing there with a smirk on his face. He turned to Gally.

"I think you don't understand the insult _shank_," he said with a chuckle.

"Oh really, then what the hell does it mean then?" Gally retorted.

Newt walked over to him and whispered something in his ear. Once he was finished, he shoved his hands in his pockets and walked away. He patted Leo on the back before he continued to walk back to the _Homestead_.

"How dare you?!" Gally screamed, his face turning red. "You bloody _shank_! Throw him in the _Slammer_! Do it! Throw 'em!" He grabbed a plank of wood and chucked it at Leo, just barely missing her.

Leo knew this was her time to leave. She quickly grabbed the nails and the hammer and bolted into a sprint, running straight past Newt and into the _Homestead_. She ran straight up the dodgy stairs and into the room on the left. She moved over to the bed and took deep breaths as she stopped. She sighed as she fell back down onto the bed, relishing in the comfort it brought. She took a second to calm her beating heart before she laughed. She laughed at the look Gally had on his face before she ran. It was one of the greatest sights she had seen all day.

"Ahem," a voice said. She quickly stopped laughing and sat back up, noticing Hawk standing in the room with her, leaning against the wall with a smirk on his face. "Having fun there?"

"You're a _Builder_?" she asked.

He nodded. "Couldn't do much else. Hurry up with those, start nailing this shucking door in before Gally comes."

"Shouldn't you? You broke it?"

"But you broke Gally's temper, and that's worse," Hawk interrupted. "Now hurry up."

Leo groaned as she stood back up and walked over to the doorframe. The door was lying down on the ground and she wondered if she was going to be able to lift it. Hawk noticed and slowly picked the door up.

_Well, Newt was certainly right. He does have super human strength. _

After many failed attempts, Leo was finally able to get the nails into the wood, thus making the process of getting the door back in one shape much easier. And after a while, the door was finally back on its frame.

"Huh, maybe you should slam the door, see if that does anything," she said with a smirk, placing her hands in her pockets.

Hawk glared, rolling his eyes. "Well aren't you a comedian."

"Well, I've gotta have something going for me in here."

He smiled as he shut the door, then opened it again. "Works like a charm. Well done _Greenie_, you fixed your first door."

"Should I be proud of that?" she asked.

"If you wanted this job, then yes." The two walked outside of the _Homestead_, reaching the back of the building. "Otherwise, no."

"Even if I wanted this job, I wouldn't get it because of Gally anyway."

"So…you don't want this job?"

She shook her head. "No, not really."

"Well, that attitude won't get you anywhere. Especially since you've got to get back to work."

Leo raised an eyebrow as Hawk picked up a bundle of wooden planks and dropped them into her arms. She stumbled from the sudden amount of weight as she glared at him.

"Bit of warning next time," she said as she tried to make it easier for her to hold them.

"Have fun _Greenie_." He gave a wave before he walked back to the _Builders_. Leo glared as she shuffled the planks around, finally finding a way to walk with the amount of planks in her arms. She felt much stronger as she started to walk, the planks becoming lighter as she got used to the weight. She knew that whatever job she was assigned to in the _Glade_, she would start to develop some kind of muscle.

And then she noticed Gally, who had somehow calmed down from his outburst earlier, was staring at her with his arms folded across his chest. If looks could kill, she would have been killed about three times by now. He shook his head as he walked away, clearly upset at how she had proved him wrong. God, how it felt good to prove the ugly bugger wrong.

"_Face it, people like you don't survive. You know where shanks like you are? Buried in the Deadheads."_

_I think I'll survive just fine out here, thanks._

…

She was currently seated with another _Builder_, working out the future plans for the Homestead. What the _Builders_ wanted to do was add a few more rooms to the building, making more rooms for the _Med Jacks _to use.

As she sat outside in the middle of the _Glade_, she felt her skin burning. She knew how pale she was and she also knew that because of that, she would burn in the sun much easier. She hid her arm from the sun so her arm wouldn't burn any further, but she knew it might be redder than normal by tomorrow.

They had gathered about ten _Builders_ as they started working on the building. They built two more rooms connected to the upper level of the _Homestead_, but the _Med Jacks _could still treat their patients in the current rooms without interruption.

She watched as everyone worked together as a team, a smile on her face as she noticed how close all the boys seemed to be with each other. It made her feel less like she was in a strange place by herself.

Hawk had shown her a few techniques to use, because while Gally was supposed to help as he was the _Keeper_, he refused to want anything to do with her. He claimed he had "better" things to attend to.

But that didn't bother her one bit. She was glad to be away from him.

As she sat down after a long, hard day of work, she groaned as her back cracked. Her muscles ached from the amount of work, she obviously hadn't of had to use those muscles in a long time.

Which made her think, what had happened to her before she was sent up here? She wondered what had happened to her to make her almost immobile. But she knew she would probably never find out the answer.

* * *

Day Five – Baggers – The "Glade"

While Alby had planned out her entire work schedule, Newt decided to change it once he noticed how much pain she was in. Sleeping always made everything worse, she noticed. Sleeping always inflicts more pain than it does neutralise it.

"I don't even know why they bother training this _shucking_ job," Newt said as they walked through the _Glade_ towards the forest known as the Deadheads. "This is as good as resting, I guess."

She was going to work with the _Baggers_ – the people who take care of the dead. Yeah, that didn't creep her out or anything.

"Have to warn you though, these two are a bit barmy."

"Wouldn't you have to be to work with a bunch of dead bodies?" Leo asked.

He nodded, right as they walked up to see the two _Baggers_ staring down at the graves, not moving otherwise.

"Oh, that's a good image," she muttered to herself, feeling uneasy.

"You'll be fine," Newt said with a slight chuckle. He put his hand on her back and pushed her forward. "Hey!"

The two boys turned their attention away from the graves and over to the two. One of the boys had spiked, red hair with blue eyes and was quite tall. The other had black hair with piercing grey eyes, and was on the bigger side. Both of them had huge bags under their eyes and they had no emotion on their face. They both seemed very content sitting next to rotting corpses.

"Don't freak out the _Greenie_, alright?" Newt asked them.

The two nodded as small smiles grew on their faces. She wasn't sure why, but knowing that they had emotions freaked her out even more.

"Good that," he said. "See ya 'round _Greenie_." He walked back over to the Homestead, leaving her alone with the two strangers and the dead.

…

For the past hour she had been sitting in silence and it was eating away at her. She felt like she was going to become insane at any minute, just listening to the wind rustling the leaves of the trees. How could anyone sit still for this long?

And without saying a word too? How could that be possible?

All she knew about the two boys were that the one with red hair was named Neils and the black haired one was named Edwin. But they never said a word to her other than their names. But they kept whispering to each other which made her feel uncomfortable.

Struggling to sit still, she finally stood up. She stretched her arms and legs as she checked her surroundings. The graves were painted white, but there were paints without any paint, the wood underneath showing. Whoever had painted them had done a sloppy job, probably because they were creeped out over the bodies.

Names were carved onto each of the graves, all of the names were boys. She assumed they were also teenagers, which made the situation even more sad. She knelt down in front of the first one. She felt a bit strange staring at the grave, feeling like she was invading this boy's personal life. She hated seeing the dirt covering it, hating knowing that there was something underneath it.

There was a cross plastered onto the grave, weeds overgrowing over the entire grave. She could tell that this was the oldest grave because of this, which meant he was the first one in the _Glade_ to die. The name written on the grave was _George_.

"He was the first attacked by the _Grievers_," Edwin said.

She flinched, standing back up as she turned to see that both boys were standing behind her.

"Sorry, I didn't mean-"

"First day. He went to explore the _Maze_," Neils interrupted. Underneath the blank expression, she could see the hurt and pain in his eyes as he looked down at _George's _grave.

"That one's _James," _Edwin said as he bent down. "Squished in-between the _Doors_. He got curious and followed the _Runners_ into the _Maze_ and…"

"And that's why you made the rule?" Leo asked.

The two nodded in unison, which meant they must have been really close, almost like brothers. And as she sat there with them, she realised how she had misjudged them. They may have looked creepy from a distance, but if you talk to them they seemed like any other person.

"Then there's _Arch_. He got _stung_," Neils said as he joined Edwin.

"_S-Stung_?"

"_Grievers_ sting if they catch you. Don't get the _Serum_ in time, you shucking die."

They talked about it so casually, like it had happened multiple times. And she didn't even know what they were talking about. But the thought of a kid dying because of the _Griever_ made them even more terrifying.

"Last one's _Max_," Edwin said as he changed the subject. He felt a lump in the back of his throat as he choked down the tears that could shed.

"What happened to him?" she asked gently.

"Stuck in the _Maze_ overnight. N-Never came back. The collar he wore 'round his neck was at the entrance next morning. _Grievers_ brought it back."

Leo looked over at the giant metal walls. Not only were the _Grievers_ scary to look at, but they were built with intelligence. And bringing back the collar was simply a way to taunt them, to show how much power they had over them.

God, it made her feel sick to her stomach.

…

Her eyes opened, noticing that she wasn't lying down in her usual sleeping bag. Nor was she in the _Glade_. She was lying down on concrete.

The road seemed to burn her skin, making her jolt to her feet. She noticed her arms had small burns on them and she hissed from the searing pain. Her back felt like it was on fire. She rubbed it as the stinging pain started to calm down. And though she was wearing shoes, her feet felt like they were burning.

She looked around, trying to figure out where she was. She seemed to be in the middle of a street, somewhere that she couldn't recognise. It looked almost deserted, no one around her, which seemed strange.

"Where am I?" she asked herself, staring at the buildings surrounding her. They were destroyed, glass shattered across the sidewalk, blood stains and smears on the walls. It looked like something horrible had hit this place hard.

Maybe this was a war-zone?

Or possibly a terrorist attack?

Or an outbreak of some kind?

She took a step forward, wondering where she was going or where the road led. As she walked, she noticed her feet continued to burn, the pain getting worse as she walked. The sun was boiling, almost unbearable as her skin started to burn and blister. The sun rays from the _Glade_ were never this hot or bright.

How could the heat and brightness of the sun be completely different in a different location? And even if it was possible, how could there be so much difference between the two?

Something wasn't right with this place.

She walked through the street, noticing people lying down on the ground. At first, she thought they might have been homeless people sleeping, but that idea was shot when she noticed that they were rotting corpses. And she could tell this because of the blood pouring from their wounds.

She stumbled away from them, almost falling back down to the ground. Her eyes widened as she felt her chest tightening. She found it hard to breath. She knew she was panicking again. She started to run, bolting into a sprint to try and get away from the bodies as much as possible.

She didn't look back. She felt like something was chasing after her, but that might have just been because she was so scared and paranoid. All she knew was that she felt like she needed to escape. She kept her eyes forward, wiping the tears from her eyes as they blocked her vision. She tried her best to not trip over the dead bodies in front of her.

And then, she felt the air from her lungs leave as she fell down to the ground. And she knew it wasn't because she was panicking. She screamed, feeling something clawing at her legs, ripping the skin off as her wounds bled down her legs. She turned her head, kicking and screaming as she tried to get the thing off her.

She saw the most horrific thing she had ever seen. It was even more terrifying than a _Griever_.

A human. An animalistic human.

She screamed as she kicked at its face, but it didn't seem to mind as it continued to move closer to her, trying to reach her head. The creature screamed as it pounced, latching its claws into her neck.

She tried to scream, but it was blocking off her oxygen supply as she tried to breath. She pushed and shoved the creature, trying her best to get it away from her, but it wouldn't budge.

The creature smirked, letting out a horrific laugh as it removed its hands from her neck, instead placing them in her eyes. It dug into her eyes, sticking its sharp nails into her sockets.

"_You have such pretty eyes," _the creature growled. _"I don't have pretty eyes no more. I need yours. I need yours. I need yours."_

She screamed as she suddenly felt pain everywhere, her vision shut off as blood slid down her cheeks, mixing with her tears. The creature laughed as it clawed at her eyes, ripping them to shreds. It tried to pull them out of their sockets, but they wouldn't move. More blood poured down her face, sizzling as it landed on the ground.

She screamed one last time as she felt her body shutting down, not being able to move any of her limbs. She felt weak as she felt lightheaded and the pain began to increase. She knew she was going to die.

She was going to die from getting her eyes ripped out.

The creature laughed as it clawed at her once more before she collapsed, her head smashing against the ground as she took her last breath.

…

She gasped as she sat up in her sleeping bag, tears pouring down her face. She placed the pins in her hair as her hands shook, standing up and quickly running. She began to panic as the tears kept falling, but she thought it was blood. It also didn't help that it was in the middle of the night in the pitch dark, so she couldn't see anything.

She stumbled over fallen roots and branches as she tried to run away, thinking the creature was still there, chasing after her. She screamed as she continued to run, trying to escape. But of course, the world doesn't work the way you want it as she smashed into a tree branch.

She fell down to the ground, hissing in pain as she touched her face. She felt a scratch on her cheek, but other than that she was fine. She continued to touch her eyes, making sure she still had them. She crawled up against the tree and just sat there, sobbing and screaming into her hands. The vision of that creature wouldn't leave her mind.

And the longer she sat there, the more she realised that she was in the _Glade_, safe from those creatures. There was nothing that could get her here – expect the _Grievers_, but she would much rather fight them than whatever those horrid creatures were.

She took deep ragged breaths as her heart rate started to return back to normal, the tightness in her chest slowly fading as she relaxed.

_It was just a nightmare. It wasn't real. You're still here. You still have your eyes. You're alive. It was just a dream._

She heard footsteps and heard the sound of a twig snapping. Any calmness she had vanished in that split second and she tried to crawl against the tree even further, trying to stand back up to run.

_Okay. Maybe it wasn't a dream. We're going to die! We're going to die!_

The footsteps got louder as they got closer and closer. She finally stood back up and tried to run but an arm grabbed her wrist, pulling her back. She started to scream, but a hand was shoved over her mouth as they restrained her.

"_Greenie_, calm down!" the person shouted and she immediately stiffened. She stopped struggling and this got him to remove his hands.

"N-Newt?" she asked as she wiped her tears, taking a step away from him.

"Could hear you screaming from inside the _Homestead_. You alright?"

She didn't know how to answer. She couldn't move or speak. And Newt noticed this as his face softened.

"Nightmare?" he asked and she slowly nodded. "_Greenie_'s get those all the time. It's normal."

"N-Normal?"

"They'll pass within a week. We've all gotten them."

As she felt another tear fall down her face, she quickly wiped it, not wanting to seem weak. He shook his head.

"It's alright to cry _Greenie_. No need to be ashamed."

She nodded as she started to sob, but covered her mouth with her hand to keep quiet, not wanting to wake the _Gladers_ up.

"They're already awake," he said, noticing her actions. "Screaming got them up."

"S-Sorry," she stuttered.

He took a step forward, placing his hand on her back. "No worries, _Greenie_. We're all _shucking_ used to it. Don't bloody worry 'bout us."

She took a deep breath as she smiled, her heart fluttering at how kind he was. Even if he was like this with all the other _Gladers_, it still made her feel wanted. Made her feel loved. And that's what she really needed at this time.

"Anything troubling you, you'll know where to find me." He placed his arm around her shoulder as he smiled. "Now c'mon, let's get ya back to your bugging bed. You need the rest."

She nodded as they started to walk, her face flushing red. She knew that she had fallen extra hard for Newt, even in the small amount of time.

But it would never happen as she had to be disguised as a boy. And he would die if he found out the truth. God, life just wasn't fair.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own The Maze Runner nor any of the characters from it.

* * *

**CHAPTER EIGHT:**

To Find The Right Job… (Part II)

* * *

Day Six – Med Jacks – The "Glade"

The next morning, she felt like she could collapse at any minute. After her nightmare, she couldn't fall back to sleep for the entire night. And when she finally did go back to sleep, she was awoken ten minutes later by Alby telling her breakfast was ready. And then, she almost face planted into her plate of food.

Yeah, how embarrassing.

And because Alby had chosen the job as revenge for Newt picking yesterday's job, she knew there wouldn't be a break for her. Which wasn't a surprise.

She rubbed her eyes as she yawned, sitting down in one of the wooden chairs in the _Homestead_. Jeff sat next to her as he checked the wounds on her knuckles. They had healed slightly over the past four days, which was good. Clint looked at her other hand and re-bandaged the wounds.

"Well done _Greenie_," Jeff said, rubbing water on her right hand. "You didn't injure yourself. Good job."

She hissed in pain as the water seeped into her wounds, making her want to move her hand and hit him to stop the pain.

"You're saying that like it's an accomplishment," Leo said, a fake smile plastered on her face.

"It might be for you," Clint said as he got a second pair of bandages and started to wrap them around her right hand. "As long as you keep this up, your injuries will heal."

"Well that's good." Leo started rubbing the bandages on her hands.

There was a knock on the door and Clint sighed. "Leo, can you get that?" he asked as he started getting supplies ready.

She stood up, stretching her hands as she walked over to the door. Once she opened it, she noticed Edwin – Keeper of the _Baggers_ – standing there with a rusty looking nail stuck inside his hand.

"Oh god," she muttered as she turned away for a second before looking back at him. "Bloody hell, what happened?" she asked.

"One of the _Builders_ walked past, dropped a nail, tripped and fell. Now we're here," he said as he looked away from the blood dripping from his hand.

"Clint! Jeff! We've got someone here for you," she shouted as she grabbed his other arm, gently pulling him into the room.

Jeff and Clint both turned around, noticing the blood on the wooden floor. Jeff cringed. "Geez, at least it's not a splinter."

"Let's sit you down. We'll get prepared," Clint said as he sat Edwin down on the bed, making him more comfortable. Clint leaned down over to Leo and whispered. "Leo, distract him. We'll need you soon."

Leo nodded as Clint moved back over to the shelves. She was glad that she wouldn't be the one to pick the medical equipment. Knowing her, she would panic and pick the wrong ones. Even if they had labels on them.

She sat down next to him on the bed, handing him a pillow. "Here, you might want this to hold onto," she said gently.

He nodded. "Thanks," he said as he grabbed hold of it tight, the anticipation killing him. "This is terrifying."

"I can tell…Don't worry, it's going to be fine."

"How can you know that?"

She shrugged. "I just know these things…How's working in the _Deadheads_?"

"Not too bad. Beats being a _Slopper_," he said, looking at her instead of his hand.

"_Slopper_?"

"They clean up _klunk_, blood, guts, you name it. They're our cleaners."

So that was one of the jobs they would test her in. Well, that certainly sounded like a job she wanted to do. What could be any worse than cleaning up?

He seemed to sense it in her eyes as he chuckled, his mind being taken off of the pain. "Only _Gladers_ who can't do _klunk_ get that one. You'll be fine."

She was a little relieved at that. She knew that at least she would good at something, though she didn't know what exactly.

Clint stepped back over to the bed, holding a bunch of bandages, along with antibiotics, tweezers and some needle and thread. When Edwin saw the needle, he grabbed hold of Leo's hand and the pillow.

"Not a fan of needles?" she asked.

He shook his head rapidly, his eyes widening as the needle was placed onto the table, right in front of him.

Clint nodded at Jeff. "We're gonna pull the nail out. Leo, grab the bandages and put some pressure on the wound. Got it?"

She nodded. Edwin looked even more terrified Jeff grabbed the tweezers.

"Good that," Clint said. Jeff moved the tweezers and it grabbed hold of nail. Once the grip was strong, he pulled up as fast he could, the nail slipping out of his hand. Edwin screamed from the sudden pain.

"Now!" Clint ordered. Leo quickly grabbed hold of the pile of bandages and pushed them down onto his hand, using as much force as her body could to stop the bleeding.

Edwin whimpered as he watched the blood soak through the bandages, pouring onto her hands.

"Sorry, sorry," she whispered to him as she turned her head away from the blood. It was making her feel queasy.

Clint grabbed the needle and thread, pushing it through the end of the hole, getting ready to start stitching.

"It's the best we've got," he said to Leo. She couldn't bear to look.

The bleeding started to slow and Clint ordered her to remove her hands and the bandages. "You're going to have to be careful _Greenie_."

He held up the needle and thread, gesturing for her to take it. She felt like her lungs had collapsed as she stared at it.

"M-Me?" she asked. She took one look at the hole where the nail had been and quickly turned away. "No. No. I can't." She moved her hands over to her mouth, but quickly noticed they were covered with blood and gagged.

"You continue here, I'll take her outside," Jeff said as he moved over to her. He quickly grabbed her arm and started walking her out of the _Homestead_.

"Sorry," she muttered to Edwin before she left the room, her stomach still feeling queasy. He didn't say anything, but smiled slightly. He understood exactly what she was going through.

She sat outside the _Homestead_, Jeff leaning against the wall. The door opened and out walked Newt and Alby, who seemed to be in a deep discussion about something.

"He's different," Alby said. "He told me he remembered that his mother had green eyes."

"How would he bloody know that?" Newt asked. "Our memories got removed."

"Exactly. That _shank_ is different. He knows things."

"Everything alright here?" Jeff asked, interrupting them.

The two turned and noticed them. "What's the _Greenie_ doing here?" Alby asked, a scowl on his face. "Isn't he supposed to be working?"

"He was. Felt sick at the sight of blood."

Alby muttered something under his breath, earning him a disapproving glare from Newt.

"It's fine _Greenie_. Take all the time you _shucking_ need," he said.

She nodded. "Thanks," she said with a smile.

"Get back to work," Alby said before he walked off. "Hurry up Newt."

Newt shrugged with an apologetic smile before he followed off after him.

"Ready to go back _Greenie_?" Jeff asked.

She watched as Newt walked away, smiling to herself as he continued to talk to Alby. She didn't even hear the question Jeff had asked.

"_Greenie_?"

She sharply turned her head, realising he was talking to her. "Yeah?"

"Ready to go back?"

"Oh, yeah. Yeah. Good to go."

Jeff raised an eyebrow. "Ya, you sure sound like it. Well, hurry up. We've got work to do."

…

She was back in the middle of the street, the exact same street. Everything was the same as the last dream she had. Bodies were placed the same way, the buildings were all destroyed and the ground still burnt her feet.

Instead of waiting as she did last time, she immediately started to run. She knew the creature would run up behind her and try to grab her ankle. As she ran down the street, she only then realised how fast she going. The buildings seemed like a blur as she ran. She knew this must have been a new addition to her dream, super speed.

She heard strange noises from behind her. Noises that sent shivers down her spine and throughout her body. They were the animalistic cries of the creatures that had seen her, running behind her.

She turned her head and saw two of them running towards her, screaming their heads off as they tried to reach for her. She covered her ears to drown them out. They were so loud it made her ears ring.

For some reason, her body started to slow down. Her feet were on fire – not literally – and she knew there would be blisters. The creatures kept getting closer and closer, and she kept slowing down.

One of the creatures reached out and grabbed her long hair, pulling her back towards them. She screamed as she trashed around, the creatures growling and laughing in her ears. She screamed as loud as she could as she punched one of them in the face. It seemed more worried about its ears as it covered them, letting her go as it screamed in agony.

The other one started to charge at her, but she was already moving. There were no words to describe how scared she was as it ran after her. It was something so horrific that if you had asked her to describe it, she would be at a loss for words.

The other had recovered though as the two were on her tail, just seconds from being able to reach her. As she turned to look back in front of her, she almost crashed head first into the house that had just appeared in front of her.

Without questioning it, she opened the door. And just as one of the creatures grabbed her arm, almost ripping it out of its socket before she threw herself into the room, slamming the door shut. The arm of the creature got stuck in the door and she slammed it even harder, the arm falling off and landing down on the ground next to her. She kicked it away from her as she screamed, slamming her body against the door as the creatures continued to bang on it.

* * *

Day Seven – Track Hoes – The "Glade"

She sat down at the table in the kitchen, staring down at her plate of vegetables and fruits. This was because she refused to look up at Newt's plate, which was filled with bacon. And he was smirking, finding it amusing.

"How's the vegetarian thing going?" he asked.

"It's going good, besides the fact that I've got to watch everyone eat it."

"Well, that's the price you pay, _Greenie_."

Leo scoffed as she rolled her eyes. She noticed out of the corner of her eye one of the _Builders_ holding up a piece of bacon.

"Hey _Greenie_! Wanna piece?" he called, his friends laughing.

"These bloody buggers need to stop rubbing it in my face. Are they trying to make me puke or something?"

"Don't let them bother you. They're just bored _shanks_."

"Maybe if they got a life they wouldn't get bored," Leo growled as she stabbed an apple with her knife.

"_Greenie_, calm down would you," Newt said with a laugh as he grabbed her hand and lifted it up, removing the knife from the apple. "You're way too angry 'bout this."

She noticed that he didn't remove his hand as he stared at her, wondering why she was so angry about a little joke.

"Sorry, I'm just stressed," she said as she moved her hands away and placed her elbows on the table.

"Another nightmare?"

"How could you tell?" She rolled her eyes.

"They'll stop soon _Greenie_. You'll be fine."

She smiled. _Easier said than done, _she thought as she started to eat.

…

She sighed with relief as she walked to the middle of the _Glade_, seeing a tall, black haired boy with droopy eyes standing there. She guessed this was her _Keeper_ for the day, the _Keeper_ of the _Track-hoes_.

"Hey _Greenie_, I'm Zart," he said, holding out his hand. She shook it, noticing that he smelled unpleasantly like sour milk. She didn't know why that was or how it was even possible, but she really didn't want to know.

"Leo," she said, introducing herself. "So, mind if I ask how hard you guys work here?"

"Not at all. We work pretty darn hard 'round here. How hard do you want to work?"

She shrugged. "Enough to distract me from the harsh reality of life."

"Well, you've come to the right place. Follow me."

…

During a few hours of work, she noted that Zart didn't talk very much. He didn't force conversation onto her like other people in the _Glade_, which was quite refreshing. If he felt no need to talk, he wouldn't. All he thought necessary was answering questions, giving instructions and leading the tour.

"This is an apricot tree," he said, pointing down at the small tree sticking out of the ground.

"You've got a bloody apricot tree?" she asked. "How did you manage that?"

Zart shrugged. "Sent up seeds in the _Box_."

Leo sighed. _Everything is a mystery here. Is nothing set in stone?_

"Now, use these and prune it," he said as he handed her a pair of hedge clippers. She stared down at them, snipping them slightly.

"You're going to trust the _Greenie_ with these?" she asked. If she had been here for long, she wouldn't trust someone like Gally with them if he was the _Greenie_.

"Well, long as you don't cut someone's arms off, it'll be fine."

She looked at the tree, noticing how messy and unappealing the leaves and branches on the tree looked. She narrowed her eyes, wondering if anyone actually did any work on this before.

Zart seemed to go back to work as she started to trim the leaves. She took her time and effort onto it, hating how untidy it looked. It seemed to make her angry that it wasn't done properly so she felt like she had to fix it.

Zart watched from a distance, impressed with her work. He knew that he would voting for her to become a _Track-hoe _when the two weeks were up.

…

It was now a little over halfway through the day and they had just finished having their lunch. Zart had gone off to work on picking a bunch of weeds, trusting Leo to do her own work. He seemed to trust her a lot more with her job than others. That was promising.

She went off to pick vegetables, plant squash and zucchini seeds. She didn't mind the gruelling work as it distracted her from thinking too much. And she knew from experience that her thinking came with bad results.

"Need any help?" a voice asked.

She looked up and saw a boy standing before her that she had never seen before. She gathered that he was a _Track-hoe _from the amount of dirt covering his body and the sweat that dripped from his forehead.

"So, you're the infamous _Greenie_?" he asked with a smirk as he bent down.

"Yes. I'm Leo."

"Louis. Want any help? I've got nothing else to do."

"Shouldn't you be working?" Zart asked as he walked over, folding his arms over his chest.

"I've finished that job. And plus, the _Greenie_ looks a little bored all by himself," he said with a sly look on his face.

"Don't start hitting on the _Greenie_," he said. "You do this every month."

Louis stuck his hands in the air in defence. "Sorry I've got good taste."

"More like desperate. Go pick more weeds _shank_," Zart said as he chucked some tomatoes at him. Louis quickly backs away.

"Alright, alright. I'm _shucking_ going," he said as he started walking away.

Leo let out a laugh as Zart rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he walked back to his spot, resuming his work. "Get back to work _shank_!" he called out to her as she stopped laughing.

"Righto boss!" she said with a salute before getting back to work.

* * *

Day Eight – Sloppers – The "Glade"

This was the last job that she would have to train for, and by far the most boring one, and possibly on a tie with the _Slicers_ as one of the worst jobs in existence. At least that's what every person she had asked had described it as.

All she knew was that they had to clean up anything and everything.

It doesn't leave much to the imagination.

She walked over to the bathroom were she saw the _Keeper_ of the _Sloppers_, a young boy no older than the age of thirteen standing there with a bucket and mop. He had really light brown hair and from what she could tell brown eyes.

He noticed her walking towards him and smiled, sticking the mop inside the bucket.

"Hey _Greenie_," he said as he waved his arm energetically.

"Hi…" Leo trailed off, trying to think of his name.

"Emil. My name's Emil."

She raised an eyebrow, noticing something about his voice that was different. He seemed to notice as he smiled. "Yeah, the accent. You've noticed it huh. I'm different from all these other shanks. I'm from Ireland."

"Ireland? How are you able to figure out where you're from?" she asked.

"And you're from London. As is Newt. The London accent is a pleasant one to listen to by the way."

She didn't know what else to say. He had completely ignored her question about his knowledge. How did he have this kind of knowledge? Even she and Newt didn't know where they were from. But he was able to figure out where not only where he was from but where they were from.

"Well, since I'm the _Keeper_, we might as well get to work," he said, completely changing the subject with a huge grin on his face.

"Does this mean I have to be lead around by a child who's younger than me?" she asked and he nodded.

"That's what happens when you're the only _Slopper_." He shrugged his shoulder.

"The only one? How come?"

"Wasn't good at anything. Puked at the _Bloodhouse_. Couldn't build a room. Cried at the graves. Puked at the _Med Jacks_. Wasn't strong enough to pull weeds. Couldn't run. So, I got stuck here."

"Anyway," he continued with a clap. "Let's get started."

…

During her time working with him, she could really see the intelligence that he obtained. Which was strange considering that he was the youngest boy in the _Glade_, yet he knew pretty much more than all of the _Gladers_ combined.

So maybe he was the boy that Newt and Alby were talking about.

So, as they both stood in front of the _Bloodhouse_, she noticed how pale Emil got as he fell down to the ground. She quickly turned her attention back to him as she bent down next to him.

"You alright? You're even worse than I was," she said.

"I-I'm fine. Just hate the smell of copper, it makes me feel sick to my stomach. Along with the fact that there are animals in there that are waiting to be slaughtered, and that we raise them up so that they love us and then eventually end their life one they're gotten our trust. Oh, and also-"

"Emil, you need to calm down. Breathe."

He took a long deep breath before he sighed. "Sorry, once I start it usually never ends. I'll could have rambled on for another ten minutes before you stopped me. That's probably also another reason why I got stuck as a _Slopper_, so people wouldn't have to talk to me about my problems and listen to my constant ramblings."

"I doubt that's the reason." She then looked over to the _Bloodhouse_. "So, you don't want to clean the _Bloodhouse_ I assume."

He shook his head. "No, I don't. Unless you want me to fall onto the ground and become unconscious from the smell and the sight of blood, then no."

She nodded her head. "And you obviously hate it too, considering the first time you stepped into that place you vomited all over the floor. And then you were almost sick during your training with the _Med Jacks_. Along with the fact that you're a vegetarian – a person who doesn't eat meat or fish, that also gave away the hint that you hate it almost as much as I do."

"Wait, hold on. How did you know all of that stuff?" Leo asked as she took a step away from him, a little scared at how much he knew.

"Oh, simple. I was sitting behind you when you were talking to the _Runner_ about how you were becoming a vegetarian. I also watched as you exited from the _Bloodhouse_, wiping your mouth. Clearly a sign of vomit. And then I noticed you standing outside the _Homestead_ with Jeff by your side, which clearly showed how you were feeling ill."

"That's…amazingly impressive."

Emil showed a smile, one that seemed so child-like and innocent that it made her almost forget how intelligent he was. He really looked like he was thirteen, but when he was rambling he looked like an eighteen year old.

He quickly regained himself though as the smile drained off his face. "Well, let's get to cleaning." He started taking small steps towards the _Bloodhouse_.

"I don't see the point," he then said as he turned around. "We're just gonna make more mess anyway by vomiting all over the floor and then we'd have to clean that and then the cycle would continue and continue"

"Just say that you don't want to clean the _Bloodhouse_ and we'll skip it," Leo interrupted, stopping him from ranting.

"Right, right…Let's go."

Emil quickly picked up the bucket and mop and started running over to the _Homestead_. He didn't seem to notice that she wasn't following behind as he continued to run.

She groaned. She hated running, at least from what she gathered. "I didn't think cleaning could result in running," she muttered before she bolted after him.

When Emil heard the footsteps behind him, he turned his head for a second and saw her zoom straight past him, reaching the _Homestead_ before him, even though he had started first. When he reached the doors, he huffed and puffed as he bent down, trying to catch his breath.

"You alright Emil?" she asked.

He looked up and noticed that she hadn't even broke a sweat, and she didn't seem tired.

"Y-You must be a fast runner. But I doubt you could keep it up for very long."

She raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"You may be quite fast, faster than anyone I've ever seen, but with that great of speed you probably don't have the endurance to match. If you ran for a whole day, you wouldn't survive. You would be in a much worse state than I am. That's the problem with having something that you're so good at, something else will lack. And that would be your stamina."

She just stood there, wondering how he could even gather that from just watching her run to the _Homestead_. Even she didn't know if she was a good endurance runner, let alone how fast she was.

"Anyway, let's get started on cleaning." He then chucked her the wet mop from the bucket before he walked into the building. She noticed how the bottom of her shirt got wet from the impact and she groaned. Now she was stuck wearing wet clothing and there was no way she could change out of them.

She stepped inside of the building as the two started to clean the room. Let's just say the experience was everything she imagined it would be. Boring, slow and disgusting. But, Emil made it at least a bit entertaining.

…

She lied down in her sleeping bag, staring up at the blackness of the sky. She wished she could have seen the stars, but they didn't seem to exist in this place. She never noticed that the boy who had been sleeping next to her the entire time had been the boy Emil, who was always curled up into a tight ball.

She could hear the rattling of the sleeping bag next to her and she sat up. She noticed that the boy next to her was starting to fidget in his sleep, sweat forming on his brow as his twitches became more violent.

She knew that he was having a nightmare.

She moved out of her sleeping bag and moved closer to his, trying to wake him up. "Emil," she whispered into the darkness. "Emil."

She started shaking him, trying to wake him. Then he shot up immediately, tears pouring down his cheeks as his body shook. All she knew was that it must have been a horrible one, like her ones. He held his head in his hands as he started to scream and cry into them, muffling the sounds.

"Emil, are you okay?" she asked gently.

He slowly tilted his head up, noticing that she was staring down at him. He squinted, almost as if he was trying to figure out who she was.

"Mother?" he asked with a choked gasp.

So what she thought was right. He was dreaming about his parents.

Then he lunged at her, crying into her chest as he screamed. She felt stiff as her mind filled with questions. She hoped to god that he was just being delusional and that he couldn't actually tell she was a girl. But with his sharp, attentive brain, she wouldn't doubt it.

She didn't know what else to do besides hug him back and try to calm him down. She felt the tears soaking into her shirt, but she knew that getting annoyed about it wouldn't do any good.

From what he had said, none of the other _Gladers_ would have done this and try to comfort him, which really surprised her. Nick and Newt were the nicest people she had ever met, yet they wouldn't comfort him. Or maybe they did at the start, but then just let him be as he got used to them.

He continued to cry for another hour and she thought she was going to fall asleep sitting there. She didn't know how he could go on like this for so long, and how other _Gladers_ surrounding them hadn't woken up.

"Emil, you need to let go," she heard a voice behind her.

She turned and saw Newt standing there with his hands in his pockets. He bent down slowly, his leg obviously bugging him, but he didn't say anything.

"You need to let the _Greenie_ sleep," he said as he touched Emil's shoulder.

Newt grabbed Leo's arm and gently pulled her away from Emil, making Emil crawl back into his ball and try to go back to sleep. And then, like something had taken over him, he fell back to sleep.

She stared in shock as Emil's breaths became even as his eyes closed. Newt shook his head, going back to look at Leo.

"Get some sleep _Greenie_. You'll need it sleeping next to him," he said as he patted Leo's back. "Emil's like this all the bloody time. You'll get used to it."

He noticed Emil was slowly starting to open his eyes. He bent down to Leo's ear and her face flushed pure red as her heart started beating faster.

"He's more trouble than he's worth," he whispered before he stood up and walked back to his bed in the _Homestead_.

Leo took a deep breath of air before she collapsed onto her sleeping bag, internally squealing as she cupped her face with her hands. He was going to be the death of her, she thought as she smiled.


	9. Chapter Nine

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own The Maze Runner nor any of the characters from it.

* * *

**CHAPTER NINE:**

The First Meeting With Keepers…

* * *

Two Weeks Later:

Day Twenty-Two – Part One – The "Glade"

Sitting down in a chair was a small, young girl. Everything around her was pitch black, but she couldn't make out any distinctive features about her.

Leo stood in the house, the creatures continuing to bang on the door, but they couldn't get inside. She slowly moved away from the door and towards the little girl, who was crouched down in her seat.

Her sobs echoed through the small house, drowning out Leo's thoughts as she moved closer. A single candle sat on the table on the right side of the room, it's small flame flickering in the darkness.

The windows were barded and locked, as was now the door. It hadn't been like that before though when she slammed it shut. She took another step closer to the girl, trying to see her face.

But she couldn't. The top half of the girl was covered by darkness.

She hesitantly reached out her hand to touch the girl's shoulder, but her arm went straight through her. A tingle shot up her arm as it suddenly felt cold, retracting her hand back in shock. She then tried to grab the candle, but her hand went through the flame.

She was a ghost simply observing this time.

A loud, piercing scream emerged from outside of the house, cutting the girl's sobs short. She lifted her head up to look at the door. Leo, instantly feeling protective over the young girl, moved over to the door. She was going to open it, but her hand went through the doorknob. She felt something grab hold of her arm as she screamed, pulling herself away.

She fell down to the ground, scurrying away from the door.

Leo gulped as the horrid screams continued. She was afraid. That creature had just grabbed her arm, which meant that she wasn't a ghost to them. Which meant she couldn't hold a weapon to protect her.

The little girl covered her ears, her body shaking in the chair.

"_How could this have happened?_"

Leo turned around, the girl standing and staring straight at her.

"_He's gone. Gone insane_."

"Insane?" Leo asked. "What do you mean insane?"

The little girl shook her head. Was she simply talking to herself, or could she hear what she was saying?

"_It's taken everyone. Everyone I ever loved_."

The girl wiped her eyes as fresh tears fell down her cheeks. She walked over to the kitchen, pulling a sharp object out of one of the drawers.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

She didn't answer as she closed the drawer, holding a silver knife in her hand.

"Don't touch that! It's not safe!"

The girl turned towards her, a sad smile upon her face.

"_It's not safe even if I don't hold the knife_," she whispered.

The little girl had an accent similar to her own, which made her question where she was exactly. Could this be "London" or whatever Emil had called it?

The little girl started walking over to the door, opening it with ease. Hot air burst through, suffocating Leo as she started to cough from her burning throat.

"_It's contaminated. I'll turn into them…You will too_."

"Contaminated? What's contaminated?"

"_The air silly. Where have you been hiding_?"

She covered her mouth and her nose with the white collar of her pink dress. This was to stop her breathing in the diseased air.

"I've been somewhere else…Not here."

The little girl held onto the knife closely as she nodded, taking a step closer to the door. She turned her head slightly, gesturing to the door. "_You coming_?"

Her eyebrows raised as she stepped into the bright light, almost like she was vanishing from existence as the light covered her body. Leo gasped, quickly using her sleeve to cover her mouth. She took a deep breath before her legs moved, her arm grabbing the door to keep it open.

Only then did she realise that she was a ghost as her hand went through the door again. "Wait!" Leo called as she followed the girl.

The door slammed shut behind her as the loud banging sound made everything turn black with a sudden force.

…

She took some deep breaths as she sat up in her sleeping bag, her heart beating fast as she wiped the sweat from her brow. She wasn't scared though.

That was a problem. She had been here for two weeks now and she had gone through quite a variety of nightmares, but this one had been different.

It had continued off from her other dreams of lying in the streets with those diseased creatures. Her other nightmares had been the normal ones, the ones of her dying in the _Glade_. And when she questioned it, Newt had told her that _Greenie_ had gone through those dreams, but she didn't say a word about her story-like dreams.

"Mother!"

She groaned as she heard the sobs and screams of the boy lying next to her, Emil. Boy, his nightmares were even worse than hers. Granted, it might have been because of how young he was, but he had proven multiple times to not judge his entire character based on his age.

Some of the things he had told her were that:

He was thirteen years old and was born on the 24th of July.

He had lived in Ireland until he had moved to America.

His mother had green eyes, so that's why she reminded him of her.

He had a sister who was named April before he moved.

And he knew his last name as Coughlan.

And those things confused her, and almost scared her at the same time. How could he know so much about himself when everyone else knew almost nothing at all? She was almost envious of him, but she knew that she wouldn't be able to survive life in the _Glade_ if she had memories of her past.

She didn't know how he handled it.

"He alright?" Newt asked as he walked over.

She shrugged her shoulders. She had taken up Newt's warning by not getting too involved, but it was hard to do when he was sleeping right next to her.

"Been doing the exact same thing for the past bloody two weeks. He remembers a lot more than you think he does," she responded.

Newt slowly bent down to his knees, looking down at the crying boy who curled into a ball under his sleeping bag.

"More than his mother?"

She nodded. "Way more than that. He knows his own last name."

Newt stared at her, then back to the boy, shaking his head as he sighed. "We need a _Gathering_. And you'll be joining us."

"But I thought I wasn't allowed to decide my own job," she said as he grabbed hold of her shoulder to push himself back up.

"You're not. We'll be deciding about this shank."

She looked over to Emil and nodded. "Do I have a choice?"

"No _Greenie_. It's mandatory."

…

She stood in the bathroom as she placed the bobby pins back into her hair, making sure her wig was secure. She had just finished having a shower with the door locked, which apparently not a lot of _Gladers_ did.

As she stared at herself in the mirror, she was glad that she never tossed and turned while she slept. Once she fell asleep, she was gone. And while that might not have been a good thing in the real world, it was great for the _Glade_.

And over the past few weeks, she had almost been caught numerous times – pretty much all of them by Newt. He acted different around her now, and he was more around than he used to be.

And when he had questioned her about the bobby pins, which he had discovered on the ground, her simple response was:

"_They came up with me in the Box, but I have no idea what they are_."

And that's where the conversation would end. And she knew Newt didn't believe her – he was too observant to believe that – but he never questioned it otherwise. Probably because he and the other _Gladers_ had bigger things to worry about than some pins on the ground.

She walked out of the bathroom and towards the now busy _Glade_, all the boys starting their job. Tomorrow, she would be just like them. She would finally be able to contribute to the _Glade_ and have a routine. Changing from job to job every day made her stressed and very tired, and she seemed to get very angry when change was talked about.

She would never could have guessed that she would be excited to have a job, but it was the appeal of the distraction that really got her excited. It would help take her mind off many things, such as Emil, disguising her gender, etc.

Even as she stood in the middle of the _Glade_, she could hear Emil crying. She sighed, flicking herself in the forehead. Normally she wouldn't do this, but with the Keepers all deciding what job she would take on, there was nothing for her to do. And she thought giving herself a headache would at least dull her boredom.

"Glad to see you're keeping calm 'bout this _Greenie_," Minho said, patting her on the back with a grin.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Shouldn't you be off running?"

Minho smirked. "In a minute. Been kicked out of the _Gathering_."

"But you're a _Keeper_, aren't you?"

"You didn't try out for _Runner_."

"That's 'cause no one would bloody let me."

"That's 'cause it's not a job many people want and/or are good at."

"But you're the exception?" she asked as she crossed her arms.

Minho scoffed with a smirk. "Please, I'm good at _shucking_ everything."

Leo shook her head, a smile forming on her face. The sound of the large, metal walls opening filled the _Glade_ as the _Doors_ finally opened.

Minho smirked. "See ya _Greenie_, good luck," he said, waving before he ran towards the opening doors, through the corridor and into the _Maze_.

…

They had been stuck inside the _Homestead_, and she had stood in the _Glade_ with nothing to do for about an hour now and the nerves were finally starting to sink in. She had started pacing back and forth, her breathing unstable as her throat tightened. Some of the _Gladers_ who had walked through had noticed her panic self, but they never said anything, most likely because they all had gone through the same sort of thing when they were _Greenies_.

"Nervous?"

She jumped back as she turned her head, seeing Emil standing there. He had finally woken up, after sleeping two hours longer than he was supposed to, and had decided to sneak up on her and scare her.

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, today's the _Gathering_ to decide your job isn't it? You're obviously nervous on what job they're going to give you. You're palms are sweaty, along with the fact that you're pacing around the room and are constantly on edge gives it away."

"You know you're too smart for your own good, right?" she asked.

He nodded with a smirk. "I do try to be as intelligent as I can. I've got to have something going for me around here, and that's the best I can do."

She shook her head, placing her hand on her hips. "All right?"

"Well actually-"

"Didn't ask for your life story. All you need to say back is 'all right'. Got it?"

"Is this some kind of British slang that I don't understand?"

"I think so. It seems natural to me though."

Emil nodded. "Must be then. Back in Ireland we have our own kind of language as well. But I don't use it because no one else would understand me."

"Right," Leo said, trailing off as she tried to think of what else to say. "So, are you gonna get to work?"

Emil shrugged. "Well, I would be with the other _Keepers_ right now, but as you can tell I slept through the start of the _Gathering_, so you're not going to become a _Slopper_ then. Well, unless you were terrible at everything else, but I highly doubt that."

Leo didn't say anything, but she was very happy to not have to clean up the _Glade_ with him, but she didn't want to upset his feelings. She was probably his only "friend" in the entire _Glade_.

He looked down at his watch with a smile. "Breakfast is soon."

She laughed. "We've all had breakfast. It's been two hours since breakfast."

"Well then breakfast for me is soon."

Leo looked over at the _Homestead_, wondering how much longer they would take. The anticipation was killing her, and she thought she was going to go insane from the wait.

"Leo, you're going to do fine," he said.

"That's easy for you to say. You have a job, remember?"

"I clean up _klunk_ and guts for a living."

"Well, at least you're doing something," she said with a shrug.

He shook his head. "Whatever, I know you'll do fine. You're probably going to get the job you want and you'll be very good at it."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Leo, I'm a certified genius. I know these things," he said with a wink before he walked over to the kitchen.

_Well, that wasn't creepy, _she thought as she rolled her eyes.

Having nothing to do, she followed him to the kitchen. Only a few people were in there, but they weren't eating. Most of the people sitting in here were waiting for the _Gathering_ to be done. People like Jeff.

She noticed a plate of food on the bench, a note placed next to it.

"_Emil's food. Don't touch or you don't get food for a week shuckfaces."_

She heard Emil rush over behind her and grab the plate. "Thank goodness!"

"Guess people read the note," she said as she chucked it back onto the table. If she knew Frypan like she thought she did, he would have taken a few minutes to place that note perfectly on the table, making sure everything was in order. By the messy way it was placed before they got here, she knew many people had picked it up in hopes that they would get extra food.

"Personally, it doesn't bother me as long as I can eat some food," Emil said as he took it over to the nearest table and started eating, ploughing through it.

A few of the _Builders_ walked into the kitchen, heading towards the back to grab some buckets filled with water.

"Hey _shank_!" Hawk greeted. "How ya doing?"

"Just waiting for my job," she responded as he put his arm around her shoulder.

"Trust me, waiting's a nightmare. Everybody's gone through the same _klunking_ feeling you're going through."

"Or I'm just very impatient."

She played with the bandages on her hands, rubbing the loose ends. This had become her habit while living in the _Glade_. She wasn't injured anymore as the wounds had healed, but it kept her from having those weird unprovoked anger issues she had before. When she'd look down at them, she'd remember how much pain it caused and then stop herself. It was a good system.

"You'll do fine _Greenie_," Jeff said.

"You're just saying that. Are they going to come out soon?" she asked.

"Should be. Why?"

"Well, Newt told me they were going to have another _Gathering_."

"Another? Geez, they can never have enough of those shucking things," Hawk muttered. "What's it about this time?"

She looked over at Emil who seemed to be in his own little world. "About the nutter over there," she whispered.

"Oh, the memories. Gotcha!"

Nick walked into the kitchen, staring straight at her. She gulped, knowing what was going to happen. "Lucky day _Greenie_, we've decided."

…

As she sat in the chair provided, the _Keepers_ stared at her as they sat in a circle around her, all the attention on her.

"All right _Greenie_," Nick started. "As you know, we've been deciding where to put ya. We had a toss between _Builder_ and _Track-hoe_, but someone – won't be naming names," he glared at Gally, "refused. So, welcome to the team. You're a _Track-hoe_ starting tomorrow."

Zart stood up as he moved over to her, sticking his hand out. "Good to be working with ya shank," he said.

She nodded as she shook his hand. "Likewise," she said with a sigh of relief.

"No complaining?" Nick asked. "Good that. Everyone, go to lunch. We're having another _Gathering_ later, an issue this time."

Everyone in the room nodded as they started getting out of their chairs and heading out of the room to get some much needed lunch. Nick nodded to himself as he watched everyone leave before he closed the door.

…

After some food courtesy of Frypan and some congratulations from the _Track-hoes_ she would be working with, she and the _Keepers_ headed back into the _Homestead_ to discuss Emil.

They all sat back in their exact spots, Leo taking whatever chair was available. And then, Minho burst through the doors as he broke the silence, huffing and puffing. Noticing all eyes were on him, he coughed before he composed himself, heading over to his seat next to Leo.

"Back early?" she asked, judging from the amount of sweat on his face.

"Go to be here. Plus, nothing changes in the _Maze_."

"Minho, slim it," Nick commanded, right before he started the _Gathering_. "As you can tell, this isn't a normal _Gathering_. This is about one of our _Gladers_ Emil, who's been having memories of his life before here. He remembers who his mother is and what she looks like."

Leo stuck her hand up, not knowing how else to voice what needed to be said.

"Yes _Greenie_?" he asked.

"Emil remembers more than that. He told me some things."

"Such as?" Alby asked, raising an eyebrow.

"He said he had lived in Ireland, that he had a sister called April and that his last name is Coughlan. He knows a lot more than you think he does."

"The nightmares are we're he's getting the information from?" Nick asks.

Leo shrugged. "You sleep next to him, don't ya _Greenie_?"

She nodded. "Yes, I do."

"What does he do when he wakes up?"

"He wakes up, realises where he is and then starts crying for his mother."

"And he called you that, didn't he?" Newt asked as he looked over at her.

Leo was at a loss for words. How had he known that?

"He did?" Minho asked. "Aren't you a dude though?"

"We're not here to discuss gender Minho," Alby said.

"Emil said his mother had green eyes," Winston interrupted from the other side of the circle. "Leo has green eyes too."

"Exactly," Leo said. "He's just delusional. That's it."

"How can he even remember all of this?" Gally asked, scowling. "Emil hasn't been through the shucking _Changing_. Why can he remember more than I can?!"

Gally slammed his hands on the table, clearly outraged about the situation. Oh yes, Gally was angry because he had been stung by a _Griever_ and had gone through a few days of being sick and screaming.

It supposedly brings back memories, but they don't last long as they start to forget them about ten minutes after they've seen them.

"He said that he knew I was from London when he arrived," Newt said, leaning back in his chair. "Even I didn't bugging know that."

"You think the _Creators_ didn't erase his memories?" Minho asked.

"Or they gave him fake ones," Leo muttered.

"_Greenie_, what'd ya mean?" Nick asked.

"They could have given him fake memories or something. Probably erased his memory and did this to either torture him or make us question everything."

"Wouldn't put it past those _shucks_," Minho muttered.

"Either way, what do we do?" Nick asked.

"Lock him in the _Slammer_!" Gally announced. "He knows way too much! More than all sixty of us. He might be a spy!"

"_Leo, I'm a certified genius. I know these things."_

The sentence circled around her mind, giving her a headache. She never thought that she could ever agree with Gally on something, especially in the circumstance of another human, but he did have a point.

With his knowledge, could he be a spy for the _Creators_?

"Oh please, this is all speculation," Nick interrupted. "We cannot decide things based on theories."

"We've done that enough," Minho said. "We've put innocent people in the _Slammer_ 'cause your shucking face accused them."

"Cause they were suspicious. I'm thinking 'bout the _Gladers_ here, shank. Lock him up till he slips."

"No bloody way. He might have gone bloody barmy from the fake memories," Newt interrupted. "The _Creators_ would do something like that."

"We don't have enough evidence," Leo said. "Whether he's innocent or not, we might scare the others by telling them there's a spy. Then everything'd go to chaos."

Gally growled as he stood up. Soon the entire room had erupted into different possible theories, punishments and ideas – mostly from Gally or at least they were the only ones you could hear because of his loud voice.

Then finally, Nick snapped.

"Alright! Shut it!" he screamed, slamming his hands down on the table.

Leo and Newt looked at each other as the silence fell over the _Keepers_. "Look, we'll decide this _shuck_ later. Everybody, _slim_ it and calm the _shuck_ down."

Nick sighed as he ran his hand through his hair, taking deep breaths. "I'm calling an end to this _Gathering_. We'll discuss tomorrow."

Everyone watched as Nick left the room, shutting the door behind him as he walked across the _Glade_. The Keepers were left in an awkward silence, not really knowing what to do or how to feel.

Leo looked around the room, hoping to catch someone's eye to help her. She noticed Newt from across the room looking around as well. When the two caught eye contact, they nodded at each other.

Spending so much time together over the past two weeks, it seemed like they could read each other's minds. That's how well they knew each other now.

The two of them stood up as they walked out of the room without a word to the others. The remaining _Keepers_ watched as they left, not knowing if they should leave as well.

Newt and Leo walked past the working _Gladers_ and towards the south-west where the _Deadheads_ were located. They walked past the graves and into the secluded part of the forest, the silence relaxing somehow.

They looked at each other as they knew they had a lot of talking to do, more than just about Emil. Each of them had questions they wanted answered.


	10. Chapter Ten

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own The Maze Runner nor any of the characters from it.

* * *

**CHAPTER TEN:**

Unwanted People Sharing My Mind…

* * *

Day Twenty-Two – Part Two – The "Glade"

The _Deadheads_ were as silent as always, the distant sounds of the animals were the only things to be heard. The two weren't sure where Nick had vanished off to, but the two weren't going to find out. They knew that Nick needed his private time to think and he was either going to be by himself or with Alby.

"What're you thinking?" Newt asked after they stood there for a minute in silence, both thinking about what had just happened.

She sighed. "I know there's no simple solution." She folded her arms. "If we lock him up in the Slammer, we might be locking up someone innocent. But, if we don't, we might be letting a spy remain in the _Glade_."

"So?"

"I'd never thought I'd say this, but I kind of agree with Gally."

He raised an eyebrow. "You're saying we should lock him up?"

"Not that drastic. We just need to keep an eye on him. He knows more than all of us combined, and even more than those who experienced the _Changing_."

Newt looked down at the ground, rubbing his hand over his mouth.

She noticed that he did that whenever he was nervous or thinking about something. Any small gesture he would make she would notice. And whenever he said her name, it made her heart skip a beat as her breath hitched.

She had really fallen hard for him. And there was nothing that could change it.

"Keep an eye on him?"

"Keep an eye on him. No punishments, yet."

Newt nodded as he lifted his head, staring off into the distance. He squinted when he saw Nick standing near them, standing in the middle of the graveyard. Leo noticed as she took a step closer, looking past the trees.

"What is he doing?" Leo asked.

"Max was his friend. Never been the same since."

If she remembered correctly, Max was the boy who had gotten stuck in the _Maze_ overnight with the collar the only thing remaining.

"How long ago was that?"

"A year."

Nick moved slightly, seeming to rub his face. She knew he was crying and trying to hide it as best as he could.

"_I'm no leader. A leader is strong. Brave…I can't be that person_," she heard him say as he bent down closer to the grave. "_You should have been the leader…You would have been good at it."_

He sighed before he stood back up, looking at the grave one more time before he walked off, wiping the tears falling from his eyes as he left.

"Should we talk to him?" Leo asked.

Newt shook his head. "Let the shank be. He ain't gonna listen anyway." He started to walk as he past her and went towards the middle of the _Glade_.

"Where are we going?" Leo asked as she quickly followed behind him.

"The _Box_. We're getting supplies."

"I thought we were going to talk."

"We are," he said as he looked over at her. "After getting the supplies."

She groaned as she followed him as they watched the other _Gladers_ working. As they got closer to the _Box_, she could hear the sound of it heading up towards them. It was exceptionally loud and it made her wonder how she could stand it while she was in the _Box_.

She watched as it reached the top, the crack in the middle being the only thing to be seen of it. She and Newt took their spots on opposite sides of the doors. They grabbed hold of the hooked handles attached on both sides and they yanked it open. As the metallic sounds ended, the doors opened as a puff of dust from the stone rose into the air, making her cough as it went down into her lungs.

Leo picked up one of the vines next to it and lowered Newt down into it, letting him grab hold of the Boxes. She had tried once to pick them up, but they were usually too heavy for her. Newt picked up one of the boxes and chucked it up at her. She caught it, but stumbled a bit before she placed it down onto the ground next to her. They repeated this process with the next two boxes until all of them were up into the _Glade_.

She opened up one of the boxes, looking inside to see what it contained.

"Anything good?" he asked from inside.

She shook her head. "Nothing but a bunch of bloody running shoes."

She then looked inside the other Box, but found a bunch of clothing that most of the _Gladers_ wouldn't use anyway. She groaned, wishing someone could put in something good as their desired object instead of a bunch of clothes.

The third box contained some wood and more medical supplies for the _Med Jacks_ to use, along with some tools for the _Builders_ and _Track-hoes _to use.

She grabbed hold of the vine as she pulled him with whatever strength she had. Once he'd reached the top, he moved over to the other two boxes to have a look inside.

"Get this to the _Map Room_," Newt said as he picked up the box with the running shoes inside, handing it over to her. He picked up the second box which contained the tools. "I'll get these to the others."

He looked around and called the closest _Glader_ to them to come over and take the third box over to the _Homestead_. The three all went their separate ways as Leo headed over to the _Map Room_. She was one of the lucky people who were allowed to go inside the _Map Room_, which was where most of the _Runners_ were only allowed as they mapped out where they ran every day. She filled the place with the shoes – once again – before she headed back out to the _Deadheads_.

…

The two walked together again in silence, wondering what they were going to do. None of the _Keepers_ had spoken to each other since the _Gathering_, which had been about two hours ago now – expect with the occasional talk with a bored Minho and Nick hadn't been seen since.

Even though the two of them were in silence, it was a comforting silence to her. That might have been because she was with Newt, because he seemed to make everything she hated a lot better when he was around.

The two sat down underneath a tree, reminding her a lot of her first day when they sat underneath the tree so she could calm down. As she thought of it, she fiddled with the bandages on her hands again.

"What are those?" Newt asked.

She looked over at him, only then realising that he had been watching her that entire time.

"What?" she asked.

"The things at the back of your bloody head."

Without even thinking, she reached for the back of her head, touching the bobby pins that held her wig in place.

"Oh, those. I-I already told you that they came up in the _Box_ with me."

"_Greenie_, you ain't good at lying. I know you well enough to tell when you're bloody lying."

She gulped as he stared at her, trying to figure out what she was thinking, and what was so important for her to lie about. She didn't want him to figure out her secret. The _Creators_ would kill him.

"Take 'em out," he said.

"W-What?"

"Take 'em out. What're you hiding?"

"Nothing. I'm not hiding anything."

"Then you have nothing to worry about."

She glared, trying to hide the fear and panic that was forming inside of her. She didn't want to start having a panic attack again, but she knew that if this conversation continued on, she would.

"And don't make up some _shucking_ excuse saying you can't 'cause I've seen them on the ground every morning." He titled his head to the right slightly. "You can't sleep with 'em, can you?"

"And why the bloody hell do you want to know what they are so bloody badly?!"

"In case you haven't noticed _Greenie_, secrets don't work 'round here. Cause more trouble than they're worth."

She knew there was no way to get out of it. She slowly touched the pins at the back of her head. Newt watched her every move, hoping that his suspicious were wrong. Well, in some ways he wanted himself to be right.

She felt herself starting to panic as she took one of the pins out. She felt her chest start to tighten as she felt her body temperature increasing. As she held out the pin in front of her, he shook his head.

"The others too," he said.

She felt the wig loosen as she pulled out the other two, placing the three of them into his open palm.

"What do these even do?" he asked as he inspected them. As he looked back up at her, he realised something. He knew that these pins were too hold hair in place. But he didn't know why he would be using them or why he would even have them in the first place.

She didn't need to say anything. He had figured out what they were and what they were used for. And besides, she felt like if she would speak she would break down into tears and fall to the ground.

"_Greenie_, if you know something, say it."

She couldn't move. She felt like her whole world was going to collapse piece by piece as he slowly figured out what was happening.

"Was there anything else in the _Box_ with you?"

She felt like the air was being sucked away as she found it a little hard to breathe. Did he know about the note in her pocket? And if he did, how?

"Leo, the truth."

She couldn't hold it back any longer. She knew the _Creators_ were watching. They knew they were waiting for the second when he would figure it out completely so they could somehow come and kill him.

"I-I got a note," she muttered, but he could still hear them.

"A note?"

She nodded, not being able to look at him. If she did, she felt like she would burst into tears.

"Where is it?" he asked.

She couldn't believe how easily she was giving up her secret. She felt as if she was pinned into a corner, and she knew that she if she didn't comply with Newt, he would tell the others and then she would be the one to be killed.

She slowly placed her hand into her pocket, taking out the folded piece of paper containing the seven words. She looked down at it once more before she handed it out to him. He quickly grabbed it with a raised eyebrow as he opened it up, reading the words.

His eyes widened as he read it aloud. "Be careful. They'll die if you tell."

"Please, don't say it any louder," she said as she moved closer, trying to snatch away from him.

"Why wouldn't you tell anyone about this?" he asked as he moved it away from her. As she moved even closer till she was standing right in front of him, she pointed out the words "they'll die" out to him.

"You haven't told us anything though," he said.

"T-That's the way I want it kept. Newt, I don't want people's lives in danger because of this. I don't want people to die because of me."

"Leo-"

"No, no, no, we can't tell them. We can't say anything. Please. Please! I don't want anyone to die."

"Leo, _slim_ it-"

"No. You cannot tell me to calm down!"

"Leo-"

"I've had to deal with this for so long now! How would you feel if you knew you could cause the death of anyone in a second! How can you expect me to function normally like this?"

"Leo-!"

"The scars on my damn neck won't ever heal and they're a constant reminder of what could happen-!"

"Leo!" Newt screamed as he grabbed hold of her shoulders.

"What?!"

"There's a different colour strand in your hair."

Leo stood there in shock, her body stiffened as she took in what he had said.

"…W-What?" she stuttered, taking a step back.

"You heard me."

She reached for the back of her head, feeling a long strand of hair that had fallen out from underneath her unsecure wig. With her panicking and lowering her head, along with crying, it moved her wig too much.

She quickly tried to tug the hair back into her wig, but she knew there was no use as he had already seen it. He already knew.

"Don't try hiding it. You'll make it worse."

She couldn't speak or move again. But, while her mind was in a panic and was trying to escape, her body was stiff and almost robotic-like. As her body would normally be panicking by now, she couldn't feel her beating heart nor the butterflies in her stomach, nor the tightness in her throat, nor her skin burning. She couldn't even feel tears forming in her eyes.

Newt eye's widened. "Are you…?"

He trailed off, but he had figured out that she was indeed a girl.

Leo felt powerless against her own body, like something else was controlling it while she was pushed to the side and locked into a cage in her own subconscious.

"_You've figured it out, haven't you_?"

Newt took a step back. Leo couldn't believe what was happening. The words came out of her mouth in her voice, but they were not what she wanted to say. She didn't even think of saying it. And the tone she said it in was so unlike her, very monotone and robotic.

"What're you talking about?" Newt asked.

"_You've figured it out, haven't you_?" she repeated as her legs took a step forward. She felt like she was stuck in a suite of iron, not being able to control herself as she moved closer to Newt.

"Leo, you're not yourself."

She knew that. She felt like screaming out that something was wrong, but she couldn't. She couldn't open her own mouth to speak or her eyes to blink, or even move her arms and legs.

Her body stopped moving, standing there as still as a statue. Her hand moved own, reaching into her pocket. She felt a prick on her finger, a sharp stabbing pain but it didn't affect her body. She felt the pain in her mind and wanted to scream, but her body didn't even flinch as blood poured from the prick.

She pulled out a sharp knife – which hadn't been in her pocket before today – and raised it up into the air, almost like she was taunting him.

Her mind tried to fight for control over her body, but she was fighting a losing battle. She didn't know how or even if she could get the control back.

Her body lunged forward as a scream came from her throat, pushing him down to the ground.

"What the bloody hell is wrong with you?!" Newt screamed as he struggled, trying to push her away.

She wanted to answer. She wanted to scream at the top of her lungs for him to get away from her, but her body wouldn't obey her orders.

Her body continued to trash around as her body tried to slice his throat open with the knife. She screamed as she clawed at him, the roboticness of her body vanishing as it turned more animalistic.

_Get away from him! Stop! _She screamed in her head at the people controlling her. She screamed it as loud as she could, and for a split second she felt her control falling back to her.

Newt took the chance as he pinned her down to the ground as he tried to grab the knife out of her hands.

Whatever control she had gotten vanished as it returned back to screaming and trashing. "_You know! You have to die! You didn't listen!"_

"What the bloody hell is wrong with you?!" Newt screamed.

She continued to trash around as her body tried to keep the knife in her hands.

_I know what you're doing Creators! I know. Stop it. Now! You have no control over me! I am not afraid of you!_

Her body stopped moving. It lied there, still.

"Newt," she whispered. "Get off…quick…"

Not knowing what was happening, Newt quickly grabbed the knife out of her limp hand and stood up, backing away from her slowly.

She took this chance of hesitation from the _Creators_ to regain control, to make her body hers once again. She pushed herself up to stand, her body swaying from side to side before she eventually fell back down to her knees.

She closed her eyes as she imagined herself screaming at the _Creators_, trying to deafen them by screaming in her mind. It must have worked before because they had stopped when she asked them too.

Her mouth remained closed as her hands started to claw at her neck as they tried to fight to regain control of her. She kept screaming inside her head, trying to be louder and louder each time. It seemed to be working as her arms started shaking, the rest of her body winning the fight to pull them away from her neck. Slowly, she was able to lower them back down to her sides.

_Get out of my body! Now! Get out!_

Her hands held her head, her brain feeling like it was pushing and slamming against her skull, almost as if it was trying to escape from her. She fell down to the ground with a scream as her whole body loosened, her mind clearing as she felt the thing disappear. Her eyes closed as she felt the pain removed from her head, her whole body relaxing as she fell unconscious.

Newt quickly rushed back over to her side, noticing that she was out cold. He knew he had to act fast. He knew he had to keep her secret. He rushed as he grabbed the pins as he placed them back inside the wig, securing it into place. He stared down at her in disbelief.

He knew whatever had happened to her just then was not her. It was almost like she had been possessed by something. He dropped the knife as he touched her face, making sure she was fully unconscious before he screamed.

"_Med Jacks_! We need help!"


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own The Maze Runner nor any of the characters from it.

* * *

**CHAPTER ELEVEN:**

The Youngest Piece of Fresh Meat…

* * *

Two Weeks Later:

Day Thirty-Six – The "Glade"

"_Greenie_!" Newt called. "Yesterday, what the _shuck_ was that?"

The two stood in the middle of the _Deadheads_ again, the other _Glades_ busy doing their work. She had spent the whole night with the _Med Jacks_, crying in hysterics at the thought of what she might have done.

"I-I don't know," she said as she started choking on her sobs.

"You don't know?" he asked, more gently as he noticed her breaking down once again. She shook her head.

"I-I couldn't control myself…They, they took over."

She shook her head again as she placed her head in her hands, sobbing into them as she had a mental breakdown. She felt all her usual symptoms, which meant that she wasn't being taken over.

"You're sure?" Newt asked again.

She nodded, but she couldn't find the words as they got caught in her throat. She slowly bent down, knowing her legs would start to shake and she would collapse anyway.

She was a mess. An emotional bloody mess.

He held onto her shoulder as he bent down in front of her, using her as support for his leg. She looked up and saw the small smile on his face as he pulled her in for a hug. Her heart skipped a beat as her face started to flush.

But the tears kept coming down her face at the thought of how close she had come to killing him. And as she cried into his chest, she felt him moving his hand to the back of her neck, slowly pulling out the pins holding her wig.

Once he'd removed the pins, he gently tugged off the wig, her natural hair falling out as the wig landed on the ground. He tilted her head up slightly to look at her face, smiling.

"I'd always thought you were too pretty for your own good," he said.

She didn't know how to react, so instead she just latched onto his chest again and cried as he rubbed her back to comfort her.

She didn't know how long the two of them stayed there in the _Deadheads_, locked in that position, but she didn't care. She wanted to be there. She never wanted to leave his arms.

Guess secrets really do bring people together.

…

Her heart was racing as she opened her eyes, but she knew she wasn't scared. She would have been if not for the hug at the end. She shook off the feeling, knowing she shouldn't be thinking like that. She was put here to survive, not fall in love.

She looked down as she saw the _Beetle Blade _next to her, staring up at her with its glowing red eyes. Once it noticed her staring, it quickly moved away as it headed back to the _Maze_ walls.

They were keeping a very special eye on her, to see what she did next.

A shiver went back up her spine as she put the pins back in her wig, keeping it secure as she stood up, dusting herself off.

She checked her pockets, but she didn't find anything expect the note. She had no idea how the knife had appeared in her pocket, considering that she had never gotten or stolen a knife. Which meant that someone else would have had to put in it, but how would they have done that without her noticing?

Nothing made sense.

Emil sat up, panting and rubbing his eyes from another nightmare.

"You alright?" she asked, but he just shrugged his shoulders.

"I should be saying that to you considering the amount of screaming you did this exact day two weeks ago. It must have been a very traumatic experience considering you went to the _Med Jacks _straight after you apparently collapsed. Which is strange if you take into the fact that-"

"I get it, but I'm fine," she said.

"I highly doubt that because-"

"Not another bloody word."

He nodded as he placed his hand up to his mouth, moving his hand like a zipper.

She looked around the _Glade_ and spotted Newt walking around the _Glade_, inspecting everyone as they started waking up and started going to breakfast. He seemed to have returned to his old self again, which was good. For three days he had been completely silent once he'd read the note again.

Later he said it was because he had spent that entire time thinking of why, how, when, who, etc. But she also knew it was because he was too scared to do anything.

"_If they were gonna kill me, they'd have already done it."_

Those were the words he had said last night before he had returned back to normal. She had been so happy that he had stopped living in fear, as the past two weeks had been awful for the both of them, both living with the fear of death lurking at every corner.

"Coming to breakfast?" she asked, as she watched most of the _Gladers_ heading over to the kitchen.

"I should. I can't sleep in every day and miss the most important meal of the day, now can I?" he asked as he stood up, brushing himself off.

As Emil walked past her, she noticed that he was acting a lot stranger than he normally would. His nightmares started to die down and he would only have one once a week. He would also only cry for a minute before somehow returning back to normal. And he wouldn't scream anymore.

While that may have been a good thing, it also made her feel very uncomfortable being around him with his sudden change.

She quickly headed over to the kitchen, heading over to the bowel of fruits that was placed on the main counter at the front of the room.

"Hey Leo," Frypan greeted.

She nodded back with a smile. "Morning."

"Got Emil out of bed today?" he asked. The two looked over to where Emil was sitting at the back of the room, gorging himself on the slices of bacon and eggs, practically drooling at the sight.

She shrugged her shoulders as she picked up her plate and started putting the fruits on it. "I'm a miracle worker I guess."

…

She wiped the sweat off her forehead as she stabbed the shovel into the ground, digging up the dirt and chucking it to the other side.

"Tired _Greenie_?" Zart asked, leaning against his shovel.

She shook her head. "Nah, it's just really hot," she replied.

He nodded as he got back to digging. She, after sighing as she stared up at the sun, went back to digging as well as she chucked it across the grass.

"_Greenie_!"

She groaned as she stabbed the shovel back in the ground, dusting her hands off to see Newt walking over to her.

"My name's Leo by the way," she said.

"Leo, we need to talk."

"Well I'm busy working at the moment," she said, gesturing to the amount of dirt on her clothes and hands.

"Don't take too long," Zart said, taking the shovel away from her. "I got this."

She nodded as she thanked him, heading off with Newt as they headed across the Glade.

…

"Lead the _Greenie_ around?" she asked as she folded her arms over her chest.

Newt nodded. "It's what I said."

"But why? I'm pretty sure Nick is perfectly capable of doing it, not to mention the fact that Hawk-"

"Nick is busy taking care of issues like Emil at the moment. Doesn't have time to guide the Greenie 'round. And Hawk's in the _Med Jacks _right now, hurt his foot from dropping a hammer on it."

She winced at the thought, shaking her head. "Just bloody great."

"You'll do fine."

"That's not what worries me. What if he'll be a spy who knows about…me?"

Newt chuckled. "I highly doubt that. You'll be fine. This will be between the two of us. No one else will know. Ever. Alright?"

He gently grabbed her shoulders to empathise his point as she nodded.

"Good that," he said with a smile.

She smiled back, but it quickly vanished at the thought of the _Greenie_ again. "How do I know when he's coming?"

"Oh, you'll know."

And then, of course, a loud ringing noise sounded through the _Glade_ as it seemed to come from every direction. She almost screamed as she jumped, covering her ears. They started to hurt as they started to ring, feeling like her ears would start to bleed.

"What the bloody hell is that?!" she yelled, but she didn't know if he could even hear her.

"That is the _Greenie Alarm_."

…

Everyone crowded around the _Box_ as they waited for the new _Greenie_ to arrive. She was quite glad to get rid of the title of _Greenie_, as they would finally start to use her name. But then she felt sorry for the new boy coming up who would have to go through the same experiences as her, well, sort of.

The alarm, luckily, had stopped ringing after two minutes. And then half an hour had passed and they were still waiting.

So this is how long she had been in that _Box_.

Leo rubbed her palms against her jeans as she remembered her time in there. She wondered how the new boy was handling the confusion, memory loss and pain.

"When the _Greenie_ gets out, someone will get in after it leaves," Nick announced as he placed his hands on his hips.

The _Glade_ fell silent as they were all in shock. Nick had formed a plan for them to try and escape.

"After the _Box_ leaves?" Gally asked, raising one of his horrible looking eyebrows.

"Will that work?" Leo asked.

"We don't know," Alby said.

"It's worth a try though," Nick said.

"Who'd be willing to go down there?" Newt asked.

The _Glade_ went back into silence as everyone looked at each other. While everyone wanted to escape, they didn't know if they wanted to risk the danger. What if they died while trying?

"I'll do it," Nick said, breaking the silence.

"You're sure?" Newt asked.

Nick looked down at the _Box_ before he sighed. "Worth a shot."

The _Gladers_ went into murmurs and whispers, everyone questioning each other on what could happen. Everyone suddenly became worried about what could happen to they're leader.

"_Mommy!_"

Some of the _Gladers_ jumped from the loud screech, including Leo who almost yelped. It was a shrill voice, like that of a child – no older than thirteen. This means that this _Glader_ would be the youngest out of them all.

Everyone looked at each other, not knowing what to think. Why would the _Creators_ send up a boy this small?

After another minute, the _Box_ reached the top with a thud. Newt and Alby took their positions on the sides of the _Box_, pulling the hatches as the doors slowly opened. Dust flew into the air as Leo covered her mouth, coughing.

Everyone peered down and saw a short, podgy kid with long brown hair crying in the corner of the _Box_. He looked like he had klunked himself at least three times during the journey as he clung to the wall like a monkey.

"_Where's my mother?!_" the kid screamed, lifting his head up to look for her. When he realised she wasn't there, the tears increased.

"_Where is she?!_" he screamed, thinking that they must have kidnapped her or that she was hiding from him.

None of the _Gladers_, which made the kid continue to sob into his short arms, his tears landing on the metal box as his cries echoed. Even the animals were quiet as they listened to his cries.

"So, who's good at looking after babies?" Gally asked with a snicker.

Everyone surrounding him glared, nobody in the mood for his annoying jokes. Leo rolled her eyes as she folded her arms, annoyed that Gally would think this was a good time for stuff like this.

"Gally, shut your _shucking_ hole," Alby said, voicing out what everyone was thinking.

"Okay so, who's good with children?" Nick asked.

No one answered as they hadn't dealt with children before, unless you count Emil. But he was way too intelligent for his age, so no one really treated him as a child, but more of an adult with a small stature.

Speaking of the devil, he pushed through the crowd to the front with a giant smile on his face. "Leo is, he's almost like the mother of the _Glade_."

Oh how she wanted to punch him in the face right now. The crowd of boys all stared at her as they took a step back so she stuck out like a small thumb.

"Oh, so pretty boy is a babysitter," Gally teased with a stupid smirk on his face.

"Gally, shut your bloody hole," she said with a glare.

She looked over at Newt, who nodded at her. He was telling her with his eyes to go down into the _Box_, and she got the hint.

"Fine," she said with a groan as she pushed through the crowd to stand near the Box. And then Gally pushed her forward, almost making her fall over the edge. But Newt quickly caught her right before she face planted inside the _Box_.

The two of them quickly turned and glared at him, and if looks could kill Gally would be dead right now. He gave an innocent look with a shrug. Newt shook his head as he moved away and walked over to Gally, threatening to hurt him.

"Newt, control yourself," Alby said, patting him on the back.

Leo looked back down to the _Box_ with a sigh before Nick handed her the vine. She took it in her hands as Nick lowered her down into the _Box_. Once she'd reached as far as Nick could go, Leo jumped off, landing down into the Box as it echoed.

The boy jumped as his head shot up, trying to get even further away and more into the corner than possible. She knew convincing the kid to get out of the _Box_ wasn't going to be easy.

"Hey, it's alright," she said as she bent down in front of him. "We aren't going to hurt you." She said it with a gentle smile, almost like a mother would to her child. Of course, she was unaware that she was doing this.

The boy flinched again as he sobbed even harder. Her voice reminded him of what he imagined his mother to be like and that made him feel even worse that he couldn't remember her.

"Good job _shank_," Gally called and she turned and glared.

"Put a sock in it," she called back, making Newt chuckle.

"What did he say?" she heard Gally whisper to someone.

"_He_ told you to shut up," Newt said.

Leo turned back to the crying boy, shaking her head with a sigh. "Do you know your name?" she asked.

"C-Chuck," the boy stuttered, slowly looking up. He stared into her eyes as he tried to figure out if she was a good person or not. But all he could figure out was that she had really long eyelashes and her eyes sparkled.

"Chuck…That's a cool name. How about we get out of this _Box_?"

She smiled as she stood back up, holding out her hand for him to grab. He looked at it, wondering if he would be able to trust her.

"There's no poison on it," she said with a laugh. "I'm not going to hurt you." She looked over her shoulder at the _Gladers_ watching her and Chuck. "And neither will they."

The smile she gave him was a sweet, motherly smile that brought him to tears. He lunged forward, pulling her close to him as he clutched onto her shirt, sobbing as he hugged her.

"I would have liked a little warning next time," she said jokingly, but Chuck continued to cry.

"All he needed was a mother's touch to get him moving," she heard Emil whisper to himself as he peered over the edge of the _Box_. Newt's eyes widened as he looked at Leo, who was staring back at him. He shook his head, telling her that he hadn't said anything.

Which worried her. Had Emil figured it out because of his intelligence?

She quickly turned her attention back to Chuck, whose tears were staining her shirt. She wrapped her arms around him as she rubbed his back, trying to calm him down. Neither of them said a word as she slowly started to calm him down.

…

It had been five minutes since Chuck had arrived and most of the _Gladers_ had gotten bored of the constant crying. Only a few _Gladers_ remained around the box at the moment.

She let go of Chuck once she noticed that he had stopped crying. "Alright?" she asked.

He nodded his head as he wiped his eyes and cheeks, his face turning red from embarrassment.

She stood back up and held out her hand, this time he had no hesitation in grabbing her hand. He figured that if she had wanted to kill him, she would have done it by now.

Newt took the vine from Nick as it moved it around, waiting for her to grab onto it. She smirked up at him.

"Eager are we?" she asked.

"Hurry up and grab it _shank_," he said back with a smirk.

She grabbed hold of it, firmly placing her foot through the loop as he pulled her up. He grabbed hold of her hand and pulled her onto the grass.

"Quite the gentlemen aren't we?" she asked as he continued to hold onto her hand.

He rolled his eyes with a smile. He then realised that he was still holding onto her hand and quickly removed it.

"C-Can I come up now?" Chuck shouted from inside the _Box_.

The two turned their attention back to the child in the _Box_. Newt nodded as he lowered the vine down. Chuck stared at it, not sure what to do.

"Put your foot in and we'll pull you up," Newt said.

Chuck looked at the two of them with raised eyebrows.

"What?" Leo asked.

"Why do you two talk so weird?" he asked.

The two of them looked at each other, rolling their eyes.

"Seriously? What's wrong with the way we talk?" Leo asked as she laughed.

"How am I supposed to bloody know?" Newt asked.

While they talked, Chuck placed his foot through the vine and tugged on it, waiting for them to pull him up.

"Ready!" he shouted with a smile.

The two of them grabbed onto the vine as they pulled him up. He landed on the grass as he shook the vine off his foot, pushing himself to his knees. Only then did he realise where he was. Quickly he backed up until he bumped into Leo, who held onto him as his eyes widened with terror.

"Oh, the baby's finally here," Gally said as he walked over.

Upon seeing the _Greenie_, the rest of the _Gladers_ quickly rushed over, not only for the _Greenie_ but for Nick's plan.

"Gally, shut up," Leo said. "If you keep this up, I'll come over there and beat your shucking arse."

He scoffed. "Like you could."

"_Slim_ it children," Newt said as he rolled his eyes.

"He started it!" the two of them shouted, acting like children.

"I don't care!" Newt shouted back.

"Someone jump down into the _Box_," Nick called, interrupting the three's childish argument.

Hawk, without hesitation, jumped into the _Box_ as his feet wobbled as he landed from the shock. "Damn," he muttered as he rubbed his feet.

"Leo, take the _Greenie_ to the _Homestead_," Nick said. "Get him a bed, then come back here. We'll need you for this."

She nodded as she held onto Chuck's shoulders. "C'mon Chuck, let's get you a bed to rest on."

Chuck didn't answer or move, entranced by the giant metal walls.

"Can I come too?" Emil asked.

"Why?" Leo asked, wondering why someone would actively want to go find a bed for someone else to sleep on.

"I'll be able to keep the _Greenie_ company. We're only a year or so apart."

Leo glanced over at Nick, who shrugged his shoulders.

"Alright then. Let's go."

…

"What are those?" Chuck asked as he pointed at the giant walls. She glanced at them too, sighing.

"Sorry, can't tell you anything till tomorrow."

"Why not? That seems stupid."

"That's what I said, but that's the rules."

"I'm not sure exactly why they thought these rules were a good idea, but it does make you very curious about what's happening. Also being around us is giving you a distraction from understanding everything that's happening, but once the two of us leave you'll end up breaking down and crying into the-"

"Alright, here's your bed," Leo said as she interrupted Emil. "I know it's not much, but it'll do. Get comfortable."

She gave him a smile and a wave as she walked off, heading back over to the _Box_ where the others were waiting. She wondered if it was a wise decision to leave Chuck alone with Emil, but she didn't have time as she needed to go back to get the plan in motion.

…

"You ready?" Alby asked Nick as he held onto the vine, his foot laced through the loop. He looked down at it before he looked down at the patch of darkness the Box had left behind.

"Ready as I'll ever be," he said with a sigh, his breaths shaky, but he tried to remain calm.

Newt and Leo took a quick glance at each other before they grabbed onto the vine. Quickly, the other _Gladers_ followed suite and soon most of them had grabbed onto the vine.

"Tell us what you see," Leo said as they started threading the vine between their hands, slowly lowering him down into the darkness. His breaths echoed against the walls as he disappeared from their sight.

"Nothing. Just black!" he shouted.

"Keep going! You might reach the bottom!" Alby shouted.

They continued this process for another few minutes, wondering if Nick would ever reach the bottom, if there was even a bottom. He had gone silent for the last minute, and they hoped it was because nothing else was there.

"See anything yet?" Newt asked.

They waited a few seconds for the sound to travel down to him.

"_Nothing!_"

"Do you know if you're near the bottom?" Leo asked.

They waited, but there was no response. Only silence. They had lowered him down about ten feet, so they hoped that he just couldn't hear them.

But, they all heard something strange.

A swooshing sound.

A cracking sound.

"_Shuck_," Leo whispered as she dropped the vine, running over to the edge of the _Box_. She looked down, but she couldn't see anything, only darkness.

"What the bloody _shuck_ was that?" Newt asked.

"Let's hope the _shank_'s alright," Gally said. It was one of the first times she had ever heard him sound concerned.

Leo looked down again, but this time she saw a tiny bit of metal flicker past. She gasped as she heard the sound of something dropping to the ground, making a loud echoed thud.

"Pull him up! Pull him up!" she shouted, fearing the worst.

The _Gladers_ quickly grabbed onto the vine and pulled it as fast as they could, all of them working as a team to bring their leader back.

She looked down into the _Box_ to see something rising from the darkness. It was Nick, but he didn't look normal. He didn't look…like himself.

As he was pulled up and reached closer, she realised what was wrong.

She screamed in horror as she crawled away from the edge of the _Box_, her body shaking as she tried to get away from it. Newt's eyes widened as he dropped the part of the vine, rushing over to her as he almost forgot about Nick.

"Leo? What happened?" he asked, his voice full of concern.

She gasped for air as she found it hard to breathe, she felt sick.

The _Gladers_ didn't stop pulling until they saw his face rising from the _Box_. His eyes wide open and his mouth hung open, like he was caught by surprise. But when he reached the top, all of the _Gladers_ gasped.

Some of them screamed, as well as Leo as several of them backed away in shock.

It was Nick they pulled up but…The bottom half of him was gone.

He was sawed in half.

The _Gladers_ dropped the vine as the top half of his body fell to the grass. Her eyes filled with tears as she watched the blood pour onto the grass, it reaching closer and closer to her legs.

Newt held her close to him as he tried to calm her down. Though he was just as horrified and shocked as everyone else, he knew that if he didn't keep calm, then the whole _Glade_ would be thrown into chaos.

Emil had rushed over at the sound, collapsing onto the ground once he saw the blood. He fainted and Hawk had to grab hold of him and try to get him back.

Their leader was dead.

He was sawed in half.

There was no way out.

They were trapped.

For good.


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own The Maze Runner nor any of the characters from it.

* * *

**CHAPTER TWELVE:**

New Lessons On Saving Lives…

* * *

Three Weeks Later:

Day Fifty-Seven – The "Glade"

No one in the _Glade_ had been able to deal with Nick's death. It had been weeks, but whenever Leo went to collect the supplies from the _Box_, she always thought of the horrible thing she saw and would feel sick.

It seemed something that none of the _Glade_ would get over.

And, once again, it was that time of the week for the supplies to arrive. And as she walked over with her hands in her pockets, she really hoped there would be more medical supplies than there would be running shoes. They had way too many shoes and not enough medicine.

"You alright?" Newt asked as he walked beside her, placing his hand on her shoulder to get her attention. She had explained to him that while she was thinking, she would end up staring off into space and forget her surroundings.

She looked over at him, trying to think of what to say. "Yeah, I'm fine."

He raised an eyebrow, but didn't question it. He handed her the vine as she lowered him down into the _Box_.

Since Nick's death, Alby had taken over as the leader, keeping Newt as the second in command. And while Alby might not have liked Leo, Nick had taken a liking to her. So, because of that, he moved Leo to become a member of the council. And though many protested as she wasn't a member of the _Keepers_, Alby convinced them by saying she would taking the place of the _Keeper_ of the _Slopper_, who wasn't trusted enough to be included in the meetings.

"Anything good?" she asked.

"Shoes, some wood, tools, strange liquid again," Newt called, chucking the boxes up for her to catch.

"How many of those bloody pair of shoes do we need?"

She picked up the vine again and pulled him back up, chucking it to the side as Newt stood on the grass. They watched as the _Box_ closed itself as it descended down into the darkness.

She looked away at she heard the loud noises as it left the _Glade_ and went back to wherever the hell it came from.

Quickly, she picked up half of the boxes and started walking, Newt following close behind. They walked over to the _Homestead_ to deliver the boxes to the _Med Jacks _and the _Map Room_.

"How you coping?" he asked.

"Fine," she answered. "Just fine."

"Leo." Whenever he knew she was lying about something, he scolded her like a little child. It was annoying, but it never stopped her from not telling the truth.

"Okay, not well," she said as she left one of the boxes at the front door of the _Homestead_. "Emil is being a pest with his non-stop facts and rambling, Chuck is always asking questions, and Gally is being as irritating as ever."

Newt smiled. "You'll be fine. Eventually, we'll have dealt with Emil and Chuck won't be the _Greenie_ anymore. Gally's just a lost cause."

And just as he said that, she saw Gally walking past with a bunch of wood in his hands, glaring in front of him, which made her laugh.

"Thanks Newt," she said with a smile.

He seemed pleased that he could make her laugh. It like was an achievement to him. "Anytime."

…

Leo stood up as she wiped the sweat off her forehead, dusting the dirt off of her jeans. She had finally finished planting the seeds into the ground, and no waited to be assigned another job.

Just on time, Zart noticed and walked over. "Leo, bring out the shovels from the shed. We're gonna start digging."

She nodded as she walked over to the small tool-shed that made out of wood, the slanted door somehow staying on its hinges. It was a bit of a distance from the gardens and closer to the _Maze Doors_. She wasn't sure why this was, but it gave her some time to stretch her legs.

As she walked inside, she saw all the tools used by both of the _Builders_ and the _Track-hoes_. It held all the tools, such as shovels, hammers, nails, saws and some strange aluminium covered, giant sick that seemed to be several poles stuck together at the ends. She'd never seen it used, but she didn't want to know. She had a feeling that it had a deeper meaning than just a few poles stuck together, and it made her feel uncomfortable.

She quickly picked up a handful of shovels and walked back out the slanted door. As she started walking, she noticed a small figure running towards her with a giant smile on his face.

And while she may get a bit irritated with him, he was always a joy to see as he always wore a giant smile since he'd arrived, well, after his crying fit.

"Hey Chuck," she called. "I would wave, but my hands are full."

"Same here," he said, holding a mop in his hands.

Yes, Chuck was a _Slopper_. He had failed every job that he was assigned to, but he seemed to do better than what Emil had said. He actually cleaned up the _Bloodhouse_ and most of the places, so everyone promoted him to the _Keeper_ of the _Sloppers_.

Emil was annoyed that he would be bossed around by someone younger than him, and would constantly ramble about it to Leo, who could never escape from him as he followed her everywhere.

"How's cleaning _klunk_ going?" she asked as she dropped some of the shovels to rustle his hair. It was something she always did to annoy him, because he had cute reactions.

"Aww, why do you have to do that? You messed up my washed hair," he whined as he put the mop down next to half the shovels to try and fix his hair.

"You wash?" She smirked as she laughed.

Chuck tried to glare, but he started to laugh as well. No matter how hard he tried, he could never be angry with anyone for a while. Even Gally.

"Whatever, how's playing with dirt going?" he asked.

"Cheeky little bugger."

"…Huh?"

She shook her head. "Never mind. British talk."

"You should teach me sometime!" Chuck announced.

"Maybe another time Chuckie," she said with a smile. "I've got work to do."

With great timing again, she could see Zart standing at the _Gardens_ with a glare on his face. He was annoyed that she was taking so long.

"Yeah, I guess I do too," he said, slightly sad.

"I'll see you later," she said as she picked up the rest of the shovels and quickly ran off to the gardens to meet with Zart's scoldings.

…

She held the shovels in her hands as she walked back to the tool-shed, everyone getting ready to go to lunch. As she placed them back in their places, she heard a scream.

She quickly ran out of the tool-shed and looked around, wondering where it had come from. Other _Gladers_ were looking around too, but no one could where the scream came from.

The scream came again and she almost dreaded the sound. It sounded close to her, and she knew where it had come from. Inside the _Maze_.

She ran up to the open _Doors_, looking down the corridor to see if there was a person there. Others crowded around her, also looking to see if they could find the screaming boy.

But there was nothing to be found. Which meant that the boy was deep inside the _Maze_, and most likely a _Runner_.

As the screams continued, she didn't know if she could handle it. The pain and desperation that could be heard inside the scream made her heart ache, wanting to relieve him of his pain.

She took a step forward, wondering if she should go inside and help him. No one moved behind her, meaning either were too scared or were following the rules.

To admit, she was scared shitless. She didn't know what came over her when she burst out into a sprint down the corridor, or why the screams of protest made her go faster, but it scared her.

She had broken one of the main three rules of the _Glade_.

She had just entered the _Maze_ without knowing how it worked or the structure.

She entered because someone was screaming in pain.

If she was this easily persuaded, she would get into serious trouble in the future, if she didn't die here first.

She took a sharp right, letting her feet lead the way deeper and deeper into the _Maze_. Her mind was screaming for her to run back, go back to the _Glade_, but her body said otherwise.

The boy screamed again and again, his loud screams becoming almost ear-bleedingly sharp. But they become shorter and almost quieter, like he was getting tired of screaming.

She took a left, then a right, then another right. She was getting closer, she could feel it. She had a feeling what was happening, and she hoped she could make it in time.

"Hello?!" she shouted, hoping that the boy could hear her. "Are you alright?!"

The boy screamed again, even louder than the last few times. She hoped it was him trying to tell her where he was. He was close, closer than she originally thought. She looked around the corner, hoping he would be there, but he wasn't. She sighed as she bolted again.

_whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrr _

_click-click-click_

She stopped dead in her tracks. She didn't hesitate as she pushed herself up against the wall, trying to hide herself in the shadows from the sun bouncing off the walls.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw what made the strange noises.

A _Griever_.

Up close, it looked even more terrifying than it did in the window. It really was an experiment gone wrong between an animal and a machine. Its body was like a giant slug, covered in both hair and slime. As it rolled and clicked along the stone pathway, its body pulsed every time it breathed. It had neither a tail nor a head, but it was at least two meters long and one meter long.

_whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrr _

_click-click-click_

She crashed her hands against her mouth as she tried to silence her panicked breaths. It was getting closer and closer.

Every ten to fifteen seconds, metal spikes would pop out through the flesh. The _Griever_ would curl into a ball and spin forward. Then, it would stop. The spikes would go back into its body. It travelled a few feet each time it did it.

_whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrr _

_click-click-click_

The sharp spikes and the hair weren't the only things coming out of its disgusting body. Several types of machinery popped out, almost like arms. Few had lights, others had needles, and there was one claw.

The _Griever_ would make clicking sounds when it travelled along with the spinning saw blade, but it would moan when it stopped moving.

It sounded like what she imagined death sounded like.

She waited in fear for it to move, but it never looked in her direction. She couldn't move. She couldn't make a sound. She feared that if she did, it would be alerted and that would the end for her.

_whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrr _

_click-click-click_

The _Griever_ rolled closer and closer, zigzagging, moaning and clicking. The smell almost made her gag as it smelled of overheated engines. The _Griever_ stopped as it suddenly looked down her corridor.

_whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrr _

_click-click-click_

She waited for what seemed like ages before it sped right past her, heading down the corridor. She felt herself almost suffocating and she knew she might fall unconscious if she didn't breathe soon.

Finally, the sounds got quieter and quieter until she couldn't hear them anymore. She took her hands off her mouth as she took deep breaths, tears stinging her eyes as she tried to get back all the air she lost.

She thought she was going to have a heart attack from how fast her heart was beating, she could almost hear it through her chest.

"Leo…help…"

She pushed herself out of the shadow and moved around the corner to see the boy crouched down on the ground, holding his side. She checked all around her before she rushed over to him, trying to see who he was.

"Are you okay? What happened?" she asked.

He slowly lifted his head, tears falling down his cheeks as pain covered his face. The boy happened to be Ben – one of the _Builders_ – and she knew what had happened. He had been stung by a _Griever_.

She knew only a few things about it, but she knew that everyone reacted differently to being stung. Some would collapse at impact, others would scream and scream for hours, and some would become paralysed, but still remain conscious.

But one thing that was common was that if they didn't get the _Serum_ quick, they would die.

"Come on Ben, get up. We need to get the _Serum_," she said as she wrapped an arm around his shoulder.

"I…can't…"

"Yes you can. You're going to live."

The two of them struggled to get him to his feet as his whole body shook, his clothes covered in sweat, dust and tears. She could see a tiny hole in the right side of his shirt, and the skin underneath was bleeding and was starting to turn purple.

Ben took a slow and shaky step forward as Leo walked beside him, trying as hard as she could to convince him to walk faster, to push through the pain and get out of there.

He started going even slower, and the small part inside of her brain told her that they weren't going to make it.

"I'm…not gonna…" Ben struggled to get the sentence out as he dropped to the ground, pulling Leo down with him.

"_Shuck_, come on," she said as she tried to pick him up, but she wasn't strong enough. With his limp body, he was even heavier than he normally was.

She took a chance and screamed.

"_Minho_!" It was high-pitched. It was loud, but it did the trick.

She grabbed Ben's arm as she stood up, dragging him across the ground with all of her strength – which wasn't much. At the rate they were going, they were never going to make it.

"_Minho!_" she screamed again, hoping he could hear her.

She could hear footsteps running behind her and she turned, hoping to see him. And lucky for both her and Ben, it was Minho who stood behind them. His face was covered in sweat and was pure red, but he didn't complain.

"Don't ask why either of us shanks are in here. We've got to help!"

Minho was about to speak before she cut him off. He noticed Ben lying down on the ground and his eyes widened with panic as he quickly realised what had happened.

"No…he's not-"

"He is. Help me get him back in the _Glade_! I'll explain later!"

Without another word, Minho rushed forward as he grabbed one side of Ben's limp body. Leo grabbed the other as they lifted him off the ground. They both bolted into sprints, easily keeping up with each other as he shouted out directions.

"Right!"

_whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrr _

_click-click-click_

"Shuck!" Minho screamed, knowing the sound all too well. Leo turned her head for a second and saw the _Griever_ chasing after them. She screamed as she turned her head back to the front.

"Left!"

The _Griever_ was only stunned for a second as they took the turn, but it was soon back on their trail, closer than before.

_whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrr _

_click-click-click_

As she continued to run, she felt like her body was on fire. Her heart was racing, her skin felt hot and her throat was sore. She tried to get the oxygen back into her body, but it felt like a useless battle.

"Left!"

The _Griever_ skidded into the wall as it followed them.

_whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrr _

_click-click-click_

As it rolled towards them, it almost collided but it just missed as they took another corner.

Leo yelped as she tripped and fell to the ground. She rubbed her ankle as she looked at what she had tripped over, which turned out to be a _metal pole_.

Minho took a sharp right as he held Ben close to him, hiding in the darkness as they waited for Leo to reach them.

The _Griever_ got closer and closer.

She screamed as she instinctively picked up the pole and smacked it right in the face.

The _Griever_ stopped moving, almost as if it was trying to process what had happened. She did it again before she dropped it down to the ground and ran around the corner and hid with Minho and Ben.

She crouched down onto the ground next to them, feeling lightheaded and out of breath. Her vision went blurry as she tried to keep herself steady, knowing Ben was in much more need than she was.

_whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrr _

_click-click-click_

The sound went right past them as the _Griever_ headed straight, the bonk to the head seeming to confuse its sense of direction. And once the sounds were completely gone, Minho and Leo quickly picked Ben back up and started running again.

"Right!"

"Left!"

"Right!"

"Right!"

…

She could see the _Gladers_ standing at the _Doors_, their eyes widened with both panic and amazement as Leo and Minho pushed through and entered the _Glade_, almost dropping Ben down to the ground.

"The _Serum_! Quick!" Minho shouted as he held onto Ben, keeping him stable.

Hawk and Edwin looked at each other before they both ran towards the _Homestead_, screaming for the _Med Jacks_.

Minho and Leo both fell to the ground, dragging Ben down with them as they tried to get their breath back. Minho stood back up as he leaned against the _Maze_ wall, holding his head.

Leo coughed and wheezed as she spit, her arms shaking as she tried to keep herself on her knees.

Minho checked over Ben's body as he tried to find the hole.

"You're lucky, you know that shank," Minho said.

She had no idea if he was talking to her or Ben, but she didn't answer regardless. She continued to cough as she tried to get the air back into her lungs.

Minho tried to get Ben to talk, but all he could manage were one word whispers, which was better than nothing.

Clint and Jeff quickly pushed through the crowd, holding the _Serum_ in their hands. Clint bent down and stabbed the needle into his neck without any hesitation.

Ben's whole body started to shake as the fluid entered his veins and into the bloodstream. And then he collapsed as his body gave out.

Tears flowed down her face as her black seemed to distort her vision. She tried to stand back up, but she collapsed onto the ground again. Her eyes kept closing, no matter how hard she tried to keep them open. She could hear Newt yelling at her, but she couldn't make out the words as she fell unconscious.

* * *

Day Fifty-Eight – The "Glade"

She woke up in a comfortable bed. She knew she must have been in the _Homestead_ in one of the _Med Jacks _rooms. The shelves were stacked with supplies and one or two vials of the _Serum_.

She looked out the window and noticed the sun starting to shine, so she assumed it must have been the next day. That meant she had passed out throughout the night, and had missed both lunch and dinner.

Her stomach rumbled at the thought of food. She noticed a glass of water on the bench next to her as she reached over and took a sip. It might not have been food, but the cool, refreshing taste of the water soothed her dry throat.

As she sat up, her back leaning against the wall, she thought back on what she had done. While it might have been heroic, brave and stupid all at the same time, she knew it wasn't something she would have normally done.

She couldn't have gone out into the _Maze_ deliberately. It was only because of Ben and wanting to help him.

She didn't even know if he was alive or not.

There was a knock on her door and she knew who it must have been. There was only one person in the _Glade_ who would knock on a door, and that would be Newt. And of course, she was right.

He walked into the room, holding a plate of what she assumed had been her dinner from last night that she hadn't eaten.

"You're lucky Frypan likes you enough," he said as he placed it down on the counter.

She didn't say anything as she looked down at her hands, playing with them. Seeing how tired Newt looked made her feel ashamed of her actions. She had put him through so much stress and worry that she almost regretted running into the _Maze_.

She could tell that he was angry with her. He was angry, emotional, scared, worried, he had a mixture of feelings.

But all he did was hug her, pulling her as close to him as he could. She felt heat rise to her cheeks as he kept her in his warmth. She almost wanted to do something dangerous all the time just for an excuse for him to hug her.

"I was so scared," he muttered out and she placed her arms around him, rubbing his back as she tried to comfort him.

"It was stupid Leo. Reckless. Dangerous. Stupid."

"You said that already," she said, trying to lighten to the mood. She felt him chuckle sightly.

"It was _really_ stupid."

She sighed as she rested her head on his shoulder. "I know Newt, I know. It was utterly stupid. I just didn't want him to die, knowing I could have done something to help."

He didn't answer as he stayed there hugging her, not wanting to let go. He almost lost her once, he didn't know if he could handle it happening again.

"Is Ben…?" she trailed off, not wanting to say the words out loud.

"He's alive…But he's not alright."

She nodded as she slowly detached herself from him, but remained close. "There's going to be a _Gathering_, isn't there?"

He nodded.

"And I'm in trouble."

He nodded again as he looked over at the counter. She noticed the pins lying down there and she smiled.

"You took them out, didn't you?" she asked.

He didn't even get the chance before she leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Thank you Newt," she whispered as she hugged him again. "For being too bloody adorable."

She felt his cheeks heating up and she giggled, almost forgetting that she had almost died yesterday. He seemed to forget too as she could hear him chuckle as he pulled her closer.

She knew that she never wanted to leave his embrace, and he didn't want to leave hers. And even though they had a _Gathering_ to attend to, it was one of the last things that crossed their minds during that time.

…

So, once again, she found sitting in the chair being stared at by the ten boys sitting around her. She didn't feel as nervous as the first time because she already knew her fate. The _Slammer_.

And she'd already been there before.

"As leader, I declare this _Gathering_ begun," Alby said as he stood up. The words still seemed strange to him. "As you know, Leo here, broke one of our main rules – _never_ go into the _Maze_."

"And he knew that, so he's nothing but a rule breaker now," Gally said as he crossed his arms, leaning back on his chair.

"You just want me gone," Leo muttered, which earnt her a glare from him.

"Gally, slim it," Newt said as he sat next to him, rolling his eyes.

"Now, we need to decide what to do with him," Alby continued with his scowl. "So, how 'bout some opinions. Gally, you'll have your chance _later_. Zart the Fart, you start."

As he sat down, a few snickers floated around the room. Alby had never called him that before, and how serious he had said it might have brought some people amusement.

Nick had up the nickname because of how Zart always smelt like sour milk, and also because the names rhymed. It seemed strange coming out of Alby's mouth after hearing Nick say it for so long.

"Well," Zart – the _Keeper_ of the _Track-hoes _– began, not knowing where to start. "I don't know. He broke one of our main rules. We can't just let people get away with that. But then…he saved Ben's life. If he hadn't gone in there, Ben would be-"

"Puh-lease," Gally mocked. "Minho saved Ben's life. Do you really think Leo – the scrawniest looking boy in the entire _Glade_ – could have done that?"

"Gally, put a sock in it," Newt said. Everyone in the room could tell he was hating the seating plan and was going to murder whoever sat him down next to Gally.

"I'm just saying."

"Shut it children," Alby said with a roll of his eyes. "Any recommendations?" he asked as he looked back at Zart.

Zart hesitated, before shaking his head. "No."

Alby shrugged. "Okay, next. Frypan."

Frypan – the _Keeper_ of the _Cooks_ – smiled, rolling his eyes as if the answer was common knowledge. "_Shank_'s got more guts than the pigs I cook, and that's saying something because the shank's a vegetarian."

The thought of pig guts made her feel sick as she moved her hands to her stomach.

"See?" Frypan asked as he pointed her out. "Why does this need to be decided? He should be rewarded. He _saved_ Ben's life and we're sitting here like he needs to be punished."

She could see Gally wanted to say something, but Minho elbowed him to shut him up.

"What're ya saying?" Alby asked.

"Make him _Keeper of the Runners_."

If Leo had a drink right now, she would have chocked and spat it out all over his face. _Keeper of the Runners?_

The room filled with whispers as Leo sat there in shock.

"Are you _shucking_ kidding me?" Gally asked.

"Are you serious?" Leo asked, almost angry at the suggestion.

"Leo. Gally. Slim it," Alby commanded. He sighed. "Considering it."

Next in line was Edwin – _Keeper_ of the _Baggers_ – who shook his head. "I agree with Frypan. We shouldn't push him. He saved a _Glader_'s life. Punishing him for that just seems stupid."

Alby nodded as he mentally wrote it down, then looking over at Winston. Winston – the _Keeper_ of the _Slicers_ – had no emotion in his face. "Punishment." He simply stated.

When the rest of the room looked at him curious, he decided to elaborate. "Alby, you're harping 'bout order, so we need to stick to that. He broke our No. One Rule."

"Punishment? What kind?"

"_Slammer_ for a week. Only on bread and water."

Gally was so happy with that answer that he started clapping with a giant smile on his face. Newt and Minho glared at him as they simultaneously rolled their eyes at his childish behaviour.

Leo wanted to laugh. _Please, I could live on bread and water easily._

Next two _Keepers_ were Clint and a boy she hadn't met before. Clint agreed on Frypan's idea, while the other boy agreed with Winston.

And this annoyed Alby.

"This is why we put Leo on the _Council_. Least he's got his _own_ shucking opinions." And then he sighed, knowing it was his turn. "Punishment, but with some kind of _shucking_ reward. But, I'll wait till the end to decide. Next!"

And then the dreaded moment began when it was Gally's turn to speak. He had a smirk on his face as he leaned back in his chair.

"I don't like him."

"No shit Sherlock," Leo said.

"Shush, I'm talking," Gally said, holding his finger up at her. "He's hiding something. And he knows it. How come he ain't ever run like that before? Why'd he only decide to do so now? I think he's a spy."

"You think everyone's a spy Gally," Leo muttered.

"Leo! Gally! _Slim_ it!" Alby shouted as he banged his hand on the table. "If I have to say it one more time, I'll organise a _Banishing_ for the both of ya."

The two glared at each other before they looked away.

"Geez, what a bunch of children," Newt murmured.

"Gally, you wanna continue?" Alby asked.

"Of course I _shucking_ do. This _shank_'s been suspicious since day one. Why is he the only one that Emil will say anything to? Why is he the only one Chuck likes? Why does he do that stupid freak-out thing? And why have he and Newt been acting so…strange lately?"

"Well, I answer three of those things, _Captain Gally_," Leo said as she placed her elbows on the table.

"One – I'm the only one who Emil talks to is because I'm the only one who will listen to his constant rambling."

Gally rolled his eyes.

"Two – I'm the only one Chuck likes is because I'm his friend."

"Friend?" Gally asked.

"Three – The 'stupid freak-out thing' as you call it is a Panic Attack - a sudden overwhelming feeling of acute and disabling anxiety. It's a medical condition that I happen to suffer from. Get it _shank_?"

"So you're sick?" Alby asked.

"I'm not sick! Just anxious and stressed."

"Then what about you and Newt?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What do you even mean by that?" she asked.

"Explain Gally," Alby said.

"Haven't you all seen 'em? They know something we don't. That's why they're so close."

"Or they're just friends," Frypan suggested.

"They're way too close to be just friends. They're both spies for the _Creators_. I say we lock 'em both up for good."

The room went silent for a few seconds, letting his accusations sink in. Everyone looked around, making sure there was no one in the room who actually believed him.

"Ya done _Captain Gally_?" Minho asked.

"I was told to state my opinion."

Alby held his head in his hands as he groaned, clearly frustrated.

"Newt, what do you think?" he asked as he kept his head down.

Newt looked at her for a second before he sighed. "Lock him up for a day, then make him a _Runner_."

"I don't know if he's _Runner_ material," Minho said. "He's certainly got the speed – faster than me – but no stamina. We'll try him out and see what happens."

Alby nodded. "I think we've _finally_ come to an agreement."

"Wait, wait, can't I say something?" Leo asked.

Alby took a breath, his eye twitching as he glared. "Fine. Whatever."

"Okay, so I know I should be punished. It was a stupid, dangerous and reckless decision that shouldn't go unavoided. And while I may have saved Ben's life, I don't know if I can become a _Runner_. I collapsed when I reached the _Glade_. That might have been from the panic of being chased by a _Griever_, but I don't know if I'd be able to handle running through the _Maze_."

"We can train you first and then I'll make that decision Leo," Minho said. "If you can't run it, I won't make you. That would be stupid."

"Just train first?" she asked.

"Just training first."

"All in favour to try him as a _Runner_?" Alby asked.

Most of the hands in the room went up – all of them expect Winston and Gally, which surprised her. It wasn't the verdict she expected.

"Majority wins. Newt, take him to the _Slammer_. We'll get the punishment started early."

Newt nodded as he stood up as Leo folded her arms as she followed him out the door. Gally shook his head as he watched them leave, wondering what they would talk about as soon as they were out of earshot.

"I shucking hate that kid," Gally muttered.

"We know Gally. We _all_ know," Minho said as he patted his chair.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own The Maze Runner nor any of the characters from it.

* * *

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN:**

Running, The Newest Challenge…

* * *

Day Fifty-Nine – The "Glade"

Her night of punishment in the _Slammer_ sucked. She was told to go without dinner, but Newt felt bad for making her train as a _Runner_ so he brought her some food. And he also have wanted an excuse to spend time with her.

Her feet were starting to hurt less and less as the night went on. As she stared at the pitch black sky, she sat down in the wooden chair, hoping it would bring some kind of comfort. It did, much more than she thought it did.

And it seemed like she had only just closed her eyes when the horrid sound of someone banging on the bars woke her from her sleep. She jumped as she fell out of the seat, making the culprit laugh.

"Rise and shine _shank_," Minho said as he crouched down, pointing the flashlight at her face.

"Stop, you're gonna make me blind," she groaned, her morning voice surprising him.

"Wow, you're a grouch in the morning. C'mon, time to start running."

…

The two stood in the _Map Room_, looking at all the boxes of running shoes. There were enough to fill five shelves, which seemed like such a waste.

Minho didn't need to tell her about the room as she spent about an hour a week stacking all of the shoes according to size, shape, colour, etc. She was very particular about how it was organised, so no one else was allowed to touch it.

"What size are you?" Minho asked as he put his shoes on.

"Size…" She pulled off one of her shoes, looking at the number written inside. "Five?"

"Five?" Minho repeated as he laughed. "You got tiny as feet. Lucky for you, we actually have a pair of those." He picked them up as he held one in his hand, almost laughing at its size. "I could put these on my hands and they still wouldn't fit."

"Get it _shank_," she said as she took them off her.

"You know what they say, the smaller the feet the smaller the-"

"I said I get it."

The shoes were very small compared to all the others, so at least she would be able to identify which shoes were hers.

"Get 'em on quickly, we've got lots to do."

She nodded as she bent down, slipping the shoes on her feet. As she did up the laces, she wondered how the _Creators_ would know to send up her size feet. The next size they had was a size eight.

She stood back up, testing how well they fit and she walked around a bit. They were surprisingly comfortable and they fit her well. And then she stumbled back at a sudden impact on her chest.

"Pay attention _shank_," he said with a smirk.

She looked down to see that she had caught one of the backpacks that the _Runners_ wear whenever they run. She assumed by how heavy it was that it was filled with food, water and other "_Runner_ Secrets".

"Weaponry," he announced as they walked over to a locked chest in the corner of the room. He pulled out a key from inside his pocket and turned it, unlocking the chest filled with all different types of weapons. "And not just the kitchen knife you had in your pocket."

_Kitchen knife? When did I get a…? Oh wait, that day._

"Pick something good, something nice and sharp. Don't take long."

She bent down as she inspected the chest. There were so many weapons to choose from, but there was one that seemed to stick out to her. It was a long, sharp knife. She smiled as she picked it up, holding it in her hands as she tested the grip.

Though it might have been a simple knife, it seemed to work quite well. She shoved it inside her backpack, zipping it back up as Minho pulled the key out and locked it.

"Only few people have the specialty to get in there," he said as he dangled the keys in front of her face, like she was a child being entertained by the sound of the jiggling.

"What are we? Six years old?"

"Well, we sure act like them."

She rolled her eyes as she tugged on the straps of her backpack, securing them on her shoulders. The two headed out of the _Map Room _and over to the kitchen where they would get their secret breakfast.

…

"Still not a fan of meat?" Minho asked as they stood at the entrance of the kitchen, the only other people in the room were other _Runners_.

She rolled her eyes, hating the continuous question she was asked every day. It was like the _Glade_'s gossip, that Leo didn't eat meat or fish.

How scandalous.

"Shut it _shank_," she said.

"I was right. Clearly not a morning person."

"Well, when you sleep in the _Slammer_, then get blinded by a flashlight at five in the morning, only then can you talk to me about it."

"At least Newt snuck you dinner."

"How did you know-?"

"Ha, you can't fool these eyes shank."

"We'll see about that, now can we eat? I'm starving."

A smile grew on Minho's face as he stared at the food waiting for him. "_Shuck_ yeah!"

The one way to cheer Minho up would be with food.

Of course.

…

Half an hour had passed and they were finally ready. She stood at the now closed _Doors_, waiting for them to open. This was an experience that she never would have thought she would do, waiting for the _Doors_ to open so she could go inside.

Minho wouldn't let her out of his sight. Since he was going to be leading her around and teaching her, he got very protective.

The other eight runners stood beside her, all of them assigned their own section of the _Maze_. If she was going to run this thing as a possible job, she needed to know what she was fully up against.

"What's it like running the _Maze_?" she asked.

The _Runner _next to her sighed, shaking his head. "Exciting at first. After few days, it gets boring."

"Why? What happens?"

"Nothing. It's a cycle. We run, map the same thing over and over. Every day."

"It's not as glamorous as most think," the _Runner_ beside him said. "As long as you know the time, it's not dangerous."

"But Ben-"

"What happened to Ben rarely happens. It's so rare we have three lots of the _Serum_."

She didn't know if that was a good thing or not. If the _Creators_ had sent up that much of the _Serum_, did they really expect that many to be stung?

"Leo!"

She smiled as she turned and saw Newt walking over to her. Minho turned as well, wondering who was calling her.

"Mind if I speak to him for a minute?" Newt asked.

"I'm not his father, go ahead," he replied.

Newt nodded at Leo as the two quickly moved away from the _Runners_ and stood behind one of the trees, out of sight.

"Hey, what's up?" she asked, rubbing her palms against her jeans.

"Be careful," he said. "The _Maze_…It does some horrible things to you. I don't want that to happen to-"

She rested her hand gently on his shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. I'll be with Minho, and you know how protective he gets of people. He'd _never_ let anything happen to me."

She leaned forward and kissed his cheek, smiling as she reassured him.

"I'll be fine," she said.

"I could get used to that," he said, which made her laugh and do it again.

But of course, the sound of the _Doors_ slowly opening ruined the moment, revealing the _Maze_ corridor. She sighed as she turned back to him.

"I'll see you later," she said, waving before she ran off back to Minho.

"Great timing _shank_," he said as he readjusted his backpack. "Ready?"

She nodded as she clapped her hands together, taking a deep breath. "Yeah, I'm ready."

…

The two ran through the _West Door _and into _Section Eight_, making their way down several long corridors. Leo followed as best as she could as Minho took sharp turns to the left and right without hesitation.

Eventually, they made it to a rectangular cut in a long wall to the north that looked almost like a doorway, but it was missing the door. Minho went straight through it without stopping.

"What is this?" she asked as she stared at it in amazement.

"Leads from _Section Eight _to _Section One_. You know the passage is always in the same spot, but the route might be different 'cause of the walls rearranging themselves."

Leo nodded as she looked around, amazed at how much money the _Creators_ would have wasted on building this horrid thing.

Whenever she thought about the Ma_ze_, her mind went back to Ben. She had never found out why he had gone into the _Maze_ and how he'd managed to navigate himself. Was he so curious of the _Maze_ that he just stepped inside and made a stupid mistake or was there something else?

"Leo, keep up!" Minho shouted, dragging her out of her thoughts. She shook her head as she picked up her pace to catch up. The two ran down the long corridor to the right, passing several turns to the left every so often. She wondered how anyone would be able to remember the twists and turns and many patterns.

As they reached the end of the passage, Minho started to slow down to a walk as he reached behind him to pull out a notepad and a pencil, located in the side pocket of the backpack. He wrote something down and then put it back, but he never stopped moving.

She noticed that he had taken some notes on where they had gone and how many turns they had taken, which made her smirk. "I thought the leader didn't need to write down notes," she said.

"I rely mostly on memory," Minho said. "I write something down about every fifth turn."

Well, she couldn't really fault him for not fully trusting his memory. If she had to run this thing every day, she would not be able to remember a single step. But, she thought it would be more fun to tease him.

"Even the sassy Minho can't remember everything?"

He turned his head to give her a playful glare. "You're such a comedian."

They ran again for a while until they reached an intersection. Without taking a second glance, he went to the right. He pulled out the knife from inside his pocket and cut a huge piece of ivy off the wall. He then threw it on the ground behind him – which narrowly missed Leo's face – and continued to run.

Leo scoffed as she dodged the chucked ivy. Minho continued the same process over and over again, not checking if she was even still behind him.

"Are we Hansel and Gretel or something? Is the ivy our equivalent of breadcrumbs?"

"Huh, ever really thought of it that way, but yeah. I'm Hansel though."

"Why do I have to be Gretel? What if I wanted to be Hansel?" Leo asked.

He laughed as he turned his head. "Suck it up, the man's gotta take charge."

"What? Am I not manly enough for you?" she asked as she flexed her arm. Since she started working in the gardens for a while, her muscles finally started to develop and her scrawny body started to change into a healthy shape. Minho stopped right in front of her and flexed his arm, showing how much more muscle he had then her.

"I think I win here," he said with a smirk as he started walking again.

She glared as she huffed, folding her arms. "Cut the damn vine already."

…

Four Hours Later…

It has now been five hours that the two of them have been stuck in the _Maze_, almost nearing mid-day. Minho sat in the middle of one of the corridors, eating some of the food and water he stored. Leo on the other hand, was lying down on the ground as she tried to catch her breath from the excessive amount of running.

Even though they took small breaks every two hours, she was still tired and exhausted, but she was still able to push herself with coughing like last time. She assumed that it was because of the two near death experiences.

"You alright there shank?" Minho asked as he took a sip of water.

She groaned, giving him a thumbs up as she was too tired to respond, dropping her arm back onto her stomach. She yelped once she did, not expecting the impact, which made Minho laugh.

"Have something to eat. It'll make you feel better."

He held a piece of fruit in his hands, gesturing for her to take it. She groaned again as she rolled onto her stomach. She reached out her hand, but when she tried to grab it he held it up in the air, out of her reach.

"Don't be mean," she said with a pout as she tried reaching for it.

"Right, right, sorry." He slowly lowered the fruit and she quickly grabbed it from his hands, sitting up and leaning against the _Maze_ walls. As she munched on it, she took out the drink bottle from her backpack.

"What's going on with you and Newt anyway?" Minho asked.

And just as he said that, Leo had taken a sip of water and then ended up chocking on it. Minho laughed as she started coughing, her face turning red as tears filled her eyes as she tried to calm herself down.

"W-What do you mean _shank_?" she asked, hitting her chest.

"Well, Gally thinks something's there. You swing that way?"

"There's nothing going on between us. Just friends."

"Really?" Minho asked, rolling onto his stomach and kicking his legs, his hands on his cheeks.

"…Shouldn't we get back to running?" she asked as she stood back up, brushing herself off. Even a blind or deaf man would be able to she was lying. Man, it was so obvious to anyone who bothered to notice that Leo had some sort of feelings for Newt. Even when she tried to act like a dude, it was still very obvious.

"Changing the subject?"

"Shut it _slinthead_," she said as she chucked her backpack on her shoulders and started walking.

"Wrong way," Minho called out.

She quickly turned back around and walked past him again, heading in the other direction. "I knew that. Just testing you."

Minho stood up as he brushed himself off, following behind her. And then he sprinted into a run, causing him to go past her. She groaned as she let her forehead touch the _Maze_ wall before she took off after him.

…

Two Hours Later…

She whimpered as she rubbed her sore knee. Certainly one of her most brilliant moments was when she tripped over one of the cut up pieces of ivy, ending in her scraping her knee on the ground. And – of course – Minho found it hilarious. He found it so funny that he had to lean against the wall so he could catch his breath.

Once he had calmed down and started walking again, she pushed him forward. He then yelled as he landed on the ground and ended up scraping his knee as well. While he glared at her, she simply smiled and waved, an evil glint in her eyes.

"Rude," he pouted as he stood back up.

"Karma," she simply stated as she followed the cut ivy.

Minho looked down at the watch on his wrist, and then back to her. "We should get back to the _Glade_ before the _Doors_ close."

She nodded as she dusted her hands, glad she would be getting out of the _Maze_. Not only was she completely exhausted from running for so long, but she felt quite bored and she felt like she was going insane. Nothing changed. Same coloured walls, some strands of ivy, it never changed.

The _Maze_ only changed when the walls would move, but that only occurred at night after the _Doors_ closed. She would never be able to see it in action, and that somewhat annoyed her. Why did everything have to stay the same?

Minho motioned for her to follow as he went into a run again. "If we continue running, we'll make it to the_ Glade_ in no time."

"I bloody hope so," she said as she quickly followed behind him, wishing that she could just fall to the ground and stay there. Her feet were aching, she felt lightheaded and very hot.

…

Three Hours Later…

Finally, they reached the _Glade_. As soon as she saw the green grass, she collapsed to her knees and just lied down on the ground, not wanting to move ever again.

"You right there shank?" Minho asked with a chuckle.

"Let me die in piece," she muttered as she closed her eyes, pretending to die.

"Drama Queen."

"If anyone's the Drama Queen, it's you," she said.

"Nah, I'm the Drama _King_. Big difference."

She sighed as she took big, deep breaths. Her feet started to relax as the pressure was taken away from them.

"You know, you might be _Emergency Runner_ material," he said as he bent down in front of her.

"_Emergency Runner_?" she asked as she sat back up, getting serious.

"People do more than one job round here. Some of the _Builders_ are emergency _Med Jacks_, and some _Track-hoes_ help out in the kitchen. I don't see a problem with making you a _Track-hoe_ and a _Runner_."

"But how would that even work?"

"Well, if someone happened to get an injury, you would cover for them. Or if they got sick. Or if someone dies."

"How can you say that so casually?"

He shrugged. "It's just natural now. Once you've been here for years, you'll understand."

She looked over at the _Deadheads_ before she looked back, thinking about how many boys had died during their time in the _Glade_.

"Have you ever had an _Emergency Runner_ before?"

Minho nodded. "We've had one before, before he…"

Leo eyes widened as her face started going pale.

"No, he didn't die. He got injured, so he went to a _Builder_. He was chased by a _Griever_ and tripped over one of its arms. Injured the muscle, but it healed. But he was scared so he left."

"Oh."

Minho shook his head, noticing her position. "You just gonna sit there all day?"

"Might as well. I've got nothing else to do."

"I'm going to the _Map Room_. I'll teach you how to run your own course tomorrow."

She groaned as she rolled down onto her stomach, staring down at the grass. He didn't give into her as he walked off, hands in his pockets to go record the path for the day.

…

"How's training going…_shank_?" Chuck asked as he walked over to her, a mop and bucket in his hands. Even though he had almost been there for a full month, he still didn't really understand how to use the language correctly.

"Yes Chuck, I am a _shank_. A _shank_ who's tired as all hell," she said with a pout.

"It couldn't be worse than cleaning up _klunk_."

"When cleaning you don't have to worry about _Grievers_."

Chuck went silent as he looked up, thinking about what had been said. "Good point. Guess being a _Slopper_ ain't half bad."

"Yeah, nice try _Greenie_, but I'd prefer to be a _Track-hoe_."

"What's so good about pulling out weeds anyway?" he asked.

"What's so good about cleaning up?" she asked back.

"…Whatever, _shank_."

He sighed as he rubbed his eyes, almost as if he was trying to stay awake. She noticed the dark circles underneath his eyes and how he yawned more often than usual.

"Not sleeping?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Emil. He keeps me up all night talking to me. I've seemed to replace you as his 'friend'."

"What does he tell you? Anything that seemed strange?"

"Well, he said that he remembered working for something called WICKED and his described his mother perfectly to me. I could imagine what she looked like."

He looked down at he seemed to wonder if he could do the same, he could remember anything about his mother could Emil could. He was envious of him, he at least knew there was someone out there who missed him.

"I'm sorry Chuck," she whispered as she patted him on the back. "I know how much you…miss your mother. I can't imagine how you must feel, being so young…"

Chuck puffed out his chest, trying to act tough even though his eyes were starting to water. "No, I'm fine. I'm tough. I can manage."

She gave him a sad smile as she patted him on the head. "You don't have to be tough all the time. It's alright to cry. A real man is not afraid to show his emotions."

Chuck looked down as a single tear slid his cheek, but he quickly wiped it. "W-Why is he the only one to remember his…Why does he get that privilege?"

She shook her head. "I don't know Chuck. But, I don't envy him."

"You don't?" he asked.

"No. He knows what his mother looks like, who she was and how she treated him. And while it may be nice to know that there's someone out there missing you, but he gets nightmares because of her. He knows he can't see her. I would much rather not know there's someone out there for me, cause it just makes me miss them, which hurts. If I don't know them, I can't miss them."

Chuck didn't know what to say, but he continued to stare at her.

"I believe that all of you guys are my family until we get out of here and find our own. So, I want to keep this one safe first before I worry about that. But, while I may not hold onto that hope, I want you to. Once we get out of here, we will find your parents. I promise you."

A small smile grew on his face as he nodded. "Thanks," he said.

"Anytime _Greenie_," she said, rustling his hair.

…

She sat down in one of the rooms in the _Med Jacks_, her leg with a band aid to stop the scrap from getting infected from the _Glade_. She was sent into a room to rest for a few minutes before she would be sent out to go get her dinner.

As she took a deep sigh of relief, the door slammed open, making her jump. She yelped as she saw a panicked Newt standing in the doorway.

"There you are," he said as he rushed over to her, shutting the door behind him and placing a block of wood in front of it to lock it.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"I thought you were still out there in the _Maze_," he said as he grabbed hold of her and pulled her into a huge hug, not wanting to let go of her.

"Why are you so worried?"

He didn't answer, but his grip got tighter like it was a matter of life and death. Her cheeks reddened as she smiled, wrapping her arms around him which made him loosen his grip.

"I'm not running every day. Minho's considering me being an _Emergency Runner_, filling in for the sick and injured. I might not even be in there anymore."

He shook his head as he nestled it into her shoulder. "It's still too long out there." He slowly pulled away from her, looking like he was regretting every second she wasn't in his sight. "One second in that lovin' _Maze_ can ruin you."

"But Minho seems fine. Besides, how do you know about what happens in the _Maze_? I thought-"

"I used to be a _Runner_, a long time ago." He shook his head as if he was trying to erase the memory of his time there. And that got her thinking.

If he had been a _Runner_, that would have had something to do with being in the _Maze_. Which leads to the injury. Could it have been caused by a _Griever_? It wasn't simply because of a trip and fall though, as everyone was very cautious when Newt came out of the _Med Jacks_. And it must have been something like a broken ankle to make him have a permanent limp.

Nick had felt bad that he couldn't help him when he was feeling down, panicked and scared. Which made her think the worst. And it explained almost everything, the limp, the feelings, and the caution of others.

"Y-You didn't…did you?" she asked, hoping that it wasn't true and that she was just overthinking. She could feel her eyes watering at the thought.

"I was weak…useless…I didn't want to be in this shucking place a second longer…and I failed..." His voice cracked as he looked away from her, not wanting to make eye contact. "I couldn't even kill myself."

She felt like her heart was breaking. Just the thought that he was so upset and horrified that it would try it made her want to burst into tears. "Newt, don't say that. Please," she whispered as she hugged him, burying her face into his chest as the tears soaked through his shirt.

"I don't want to lose you," he whispered.

"You won't lose me," she whispered back as she lifted her head. "I promise I'll always be there. And don't ever think that about yourself. You're not useless and you're certainly not weak. You're one of the most bravest and nicest people I've ever met. And I'm so glad that I've met you."

He didn't respond, but she could see that his cheeks were turning red. She could hear how fast his heart was beating.

"I don't want to lose you either," she whispered as more tears fell down her cheeks.

He lifted his head and slowly moved his finger over to her cheeks, wiping the tears away. Her cheeks reddened even more as a smile came onto her face. She moved even closer than before until they were only a few centimetres apart. She could tell what Newt was thinking as he glanced down at her lips and the back to her eyes, asking for permission.

Her smile grew wider as she nodded, holding onto his other hand. He leaned forward and gently kissed her, and she didn't hesitate to kiss him back.

It was short, but sweet and that's just what the two of them needed.

When the two pulled back, their foreheads connected as the two of them smiled. But she wasn't only smiling because she had finally shown her feelings, and it wasn't only because he reciprocated them, but it was also because it was reflex.

Everything was a mess. Becoming a possible _Runner_, the _Creators_ being their usual selves, Emil spurting out things and upsetting Chuck and now her new relationship with Newt.

She laughed at herself at the thought of how messed up her life was.

And as he stared at her, it was like everything that had been a concern before had erased itself from his memory. He could forget about his limp, the other _Gladers_, the _Maze_ and every other worry in his life.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that," he said.

"I think I have an idea. But I've wanted to for much longer."

He smiled as he kissed her again, slowly taking the pins out of her hair as he did so. As he pulled away, he slipped off the wig and rested it on the bed. She stared down at it with a disgusted look on her face.

It was a horrid wig. It might have looked nice on, but both of them agreed that her natural hair was a much better comparison. Her hair naturally fell into place like it had been styled for a special occasion or something.

"It's such a shame," he muttered as he grabbed one of the stands.

"What is?" she asked as she watched him playing with her hair between his fingertips, almost like he was amazed with it.

"How they make you cover this up with _that_."

She laughed. "They're just very mean people."

And with just that laugh, he kissed her again. Neither of them cared that the _Creators_ were watching their every move. If they hadn't destroyed them yet, they weren't going to. They only made the relationship stronger.

In their embrace, the two of them were in Paradise. And nothing was going to change how they felt about each other, not even the _Creators_.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own The Maze Runner nor any of the characters from it.

* * *

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN:**

The Curious Fresh Meat…

* * *

Two Days Later:

Day Sixty-One – The "Glade"

Two days had passed since her first time stepping into the _Maze_ for training and another month had started, which meant another boy would come up through the _Box_ and enter the _Glade_. She wondered why they would bother sending her if they were going to continue sending males up every month.

It was three quarters through the day and the _Box_ still hadn't shown up. It was almost time for the _Runners_ to get back. Normally, according to Newt, this doesn't normally happen and the _Runners_ usually miss who's arrived.

And because of how much Newt didn't want her to run in the Maze, he made a secret deal with Minho that if he ran two _Sections_ that day, then Newt would give him three extra pieces of bacon.

Needless to say, Minho ran two _Sections_ that day.

Frypan was starting to cook and prepare dinner with some of the _Emergency Cooks_ while the rest of the _Glade_ continued as usual. Leo wiped the dirt off her hands after planting the last pumpkin seed. And right as the _Greenie Alarm _sounded, she heard a loud scream.

It was Chuck. He was so startled by the loud noise that he screamed as he covered his ears, quickly running over to Leo.

"What is that?!" he screamed. He looked like he was almost in pain.

"Chuckie, calm down," she said as she stood up. "It's just the _Greenie Alarm_."

"The _Greenie Alarm_?"

"It tells us in about half an hour a new boy will arrive in the _Box_."

Chuck winced as the sound seemed to get louder, even making Leo cover her ears. "When does it stop?!" he asked.

"In about a minute. We've got to get the _Box_."

The noise started to quiet down as she placed one hand on his back, leading him over to the _Box_. Since his arrival he had never been to the _Box_ besides the tour, and his hands were shaking as he got closer and closer. She had been the one to deliver the news about Nick and his death inside the _Box_, and since then Chuck had been terrified but also excited to see the _Box_ once again.

"Why is it so loud?" he asked.

"So the _Runners_ can hear it while inside the _Maze_. It's so they know that the _Greenie_ has shown up for the day."

"They could find out after!"

Leo laughed as Chuck plugged his ears again.

…

Half an hour had passed and all of the _Gladers_ stood in front of the _Box_, waiting for the _Greenie_ to arrive. Newt and Leo were at opposite sides of the _Box_, waiting for their cue to pull it apart.

Since that night in the _Homestead_, the two would always send hints to each other, smirks, winks and glances when the other _Gladers_ weren't looking. It was their way of communicating their love in such a large group without making it obvious for the rest.

Sudden bangs came from inside the _Box_, the sound almost echoing around the entire _Glade_. She always forgot how loud it was and how she had been completely oblivious to it when she was there.

"_Someone…help…me!" _the voice screamed from inside. The boy he sounded like he was in so much pain, like every word was ripping his throat raw.

"Did we get a dying _Greenie_?" Gally asked with a smirk.

"Slim it Gally," Leo said as she folded her arms.

Alby rolled his eyes as he sighed. "Alright, pull 'em apart."

Newt and Leo nodded as they pulled on the hatches, slowly opening the doors.

"Oh _shuck_," Chuck said as he watched them opening. As he had never seen it before, he was pretty amazed at the sight. It must have been very interesting to see as the heavy grated sound started while the doors opened. Chuck almost peered over the edge as he tried to get a better look.

Inside was a boy backed up in the corner, looking terrified as he looked he covered his eyes to block the sunlight. He didn't cry, he didn't speak, he just sat there which was very unusual for the _Greenies_.

"Look at that _shank_," one of the boys pointed out.

"How old is he?"

"Looks like a _klunk_ in a T-shirt," Emil said.

"You're the _klunk_, _shuck_-face," Jeff replied as he smacked his head.

"Dude, it smells like _feet_ down there."

As Leo moved closer, she almost gagged at the smell as she plugged her nose, moving away as she backed into Minho.

"Hope you enjoyed the one-way trip _Greenie_," Gally remarked.

"Ain't no ticket back, bro," Alby said with his signature scowl.

The poor boy inside had no idea what was going on as he looked at them, staring at them like they were aliens.

His eyes widened as he noticed how many boys surrounded him as his eyes glanced at all of them. When his eyes met Leo's, he continued to stare like he was trying to figure her out. She quickly sent him a glare, which got his eyes moving right away and over to the other boys.

Leo held onto the rope as she lowered it down for him. The boy stared at it before he looked back at her, then back to the rope.

"Just get on already," she said, which made him raise an eyebrow. He was clearly confused by her accent and how high-pitched her voice was compared to the others, but she just rolled her eyes as a response.

He then looked back at the rope, putting his through the hoop and looking around, unsure of what to do. She pulled as hard as she could as he was lifted off of the floor of the _Box_. Gally scoffed, thinking she was just showing off. When he was getting closer to the top, multiple hands reached down to help pull him to the grass.

The whispers had finally stopped, but Alby broke the silence as he pulled the _Greenie_ to his feet. "Nice to meet ya _shank_, welcome to the _Glade_."

The _Greenie_ staggered, still dazed from the bright light of the sun. None of the others said anything as they watched him taking in his surroundings. But of course, some of the boys – mainly the ones friends with Gally – snickered as they pointed at him. She rolled her eyes once again. The _Greenie_ was the fresh new toy for the classroom of kindergarten children to play with.

Once the _Greenie_ saw the metal walls, he moved his head back to try and see the top of the giant structure. He seemed way more entranced than the other _Greenies_, and even her herself when she arrived.

"Look at the _Greenbean_," Gally said. "Gonna break his _shuck_ neck checkin' out the new digs."

Several of the boys next to him laughed while Leo shook her head.

"Can you shut it _shank_?" she asked with a fake smile.

Gally pulled a face at her, making her want to punch him in his giant nose. He seemed to be his life goal to piss her off.

The _Greenie_ turned around at the sound of their voices, his gaze going from Newt, to Chuck, to Minho, to Leo and then to Alby. She had no idea why his attention was on the five of them, but it seemed very strange.

"Where am I?" the _Greenie_ asked.

"Nowhere good," Alby responded. "Just _slim_ yourself nice and calm."

"Which _Keeper_ he gonna get?" someone shouted, interrupting the conversation.

"I told ya shuck-face," some yelled, "He's a klunk, so he'll be a _Slopper_ – no doubt about it."

"He hasn't been here a bloody minute yet," she said. They quickly stopped their giggling once they noticed Alby sending daggers their way. They looked at each other before taking a step away from each other.

"I bet he can't even do that much," Gally said. "Bet my liver on it."

"Wow, you really like betting your liver off huh?" Leo asked with a smirk.

"I said shut your holes!" Alby shouted, his voice overpowering everyone else's conversations. "Keep yapping and next break'll be cut in half."

The Gladers quickly went quiet, not wanting to upset Alby any more than he already was. He took a step towards the Greenie, scowling.

"It's a long story _shank_," he said. "Piece by piece, you'll learn – I'll be takin' you on the Tour tomorrow. Till then…just don't break anything."

_Legendary advice from Leader Scowl-face._

Alby stuck his hand out. "Name's Alby."

The Greenie walked away, completely ignoring everything Alby had just said to him as he sat down against the nearby tree.

"What the bloody hell is he doing?" Leo whispered to Newt, who just shrugged.

"Who knows?" he responded.

The Greenie took a deep breath as he rested his back against the bark. "Then tell me. Tell me the long story."

Alby looked over at Newt and Leo, asking them with his eyes if they could believe what was happening. The _Greenie_ was already getting on Alby's last nerve and he'd only been in the _Glade_ for about a minute or two.

This was going to be fun.

"Seriously," he continued. "Where am I?"

Alby walked over to him, his fists clenched as he sat down next to the _Greenie_. Thinking the same thing, both Leo and Newt looked at each other before following Alby, making sure he didn't do anything too stupid because of his short temper.

"If you ain't scared, you ain't human. Act any different and I'd throw you off the _Cliff_ because it'd mean you're a psycho."

"The _Cliff_?" the _Greenie_ asked as his face turned pale.

"Shuck it. Ain't no way to start these conversations, you get me? We don't kill shanks like you here, I promise. Just try and avoid being killed, survive, whatever."

At the thought, the _Greenie_ turned even paler.

"Man, I ain't good at this – you're the first _Greenbean_ since Nick was killed."

_And he keeps digging himself into a deeper hole…_

"Wait for the bloody Tour, Alby," Newt said as he playfully slapped Alby across the head. "Kids' gonna have a buggin' heart attack, nothin' even been heard yet."

Newt bent down and extended his hand out towards the _Greenie_, trying the same move that Alby had pulled earlier. "Name's Newt, _Greenie_, and we'd be all right cherry if ya'd forgive our klunk-for-brain's new leader here."

The _Greenie_ stared at his hand for a second before he shook it. By his expression, everyone assumed he thought Newt was a much nicer guy than Alby, which wasn't completely untrue.

"Pipe it _shuck_-face," Alby said, pulling Newt down to sit next to him. "At least he can understand _half_ my words."

"He understands us plenty," Leo said as she sat down next to Newt. She turned to the _Greenie_, extending her hand. "I'm Leo. Nice to meet you _shank_."

The _Greenie_ shook her hand as well, making Alby feel even more ignored and irritated than before.

"This place is called the _Glade_, all right?" Alby said. "It's where we live, where we eat, where we sleep – we call ourselves _Gladers_. That's all you-"

"Who sent me here?" he interrupted. "How'd-"

Alby's hand shot up as he grabbed the _Greenie_'s shirt, leaning forward. "Get up, _shank_. Get up!" he shouted, pulling the _Greenie_ up with him as he stood. He then pushed the _Greenie_ against the tree.

"No interruptions boy! Whacker, if we told you everything, you'd die on the spot, right after you _klunked_ your pants. _Baggers_'d drag you off, and you ain't no good to use then, are you?"

"I don't even know what you're talking about."

Just as Alby was going to retaliate, Newt and Leo grabbed hold of Alby's shoulders as they stopped him from punching the _Greenie_ in the face.

"Alby, lay off a bit," Newt said. "You're hurtin' more than helpin', ya know?"

"Alby, let go of him," Leo said as she patted him on the back.

Alby took deep, slow breaths before he pulled away. "Ain't got time to be nice, _Greenbean_. Old life's over now, new life's begun. Learn the rules quick, listen, don't talk. You got me?"

The _Greenie_ looked over at Newt and Leo, almost as if he was asking for help. But it wasn't like they could do anything, he was on his own.

"_Greenie_, you got him, right?" Newt asked with a nod.

The _Greenie_ looked like he wanted to punch someone, and it would be whoever was the closet.

"If you value you're life, I'd think you better answer," Leo said as she titled her head towards the angry looking Alby.

He sighed, before he nodded. "Yeah."

"Good that," Alby said. "First Day. That's what today is for you, _shank_. Night's comin', _Runners_'ll be back soon. The _Box_ came late today, ain't got time for the Tour. Tomorrow morning, right after the wake-up."

He looked at Newt and Leo. "Get him a bed, get him to sleep."

"So now he's our problem?" Leo asked which earned her a glare from the _Greenie_.

"Do you think _I_ wanna deal with him?" Alby asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Good that," Newt said, stopping the conversation from going any further.

Alby glared at the _Greenie_. "A few weeks, you'll be happy, shank. You'll be happy and helpin'. None of us knew jack on First Day, you neither. New life begins tomorrow."

He pushed through the crowd as he walked over to the _Homestead_, finally glad that he was getting away from the Greenie. The other Gladers quickly wandered off to finish their jobs, leaving the three of them alone.

"What did I do?" the _Greenie_ whispered to himself. "What did I do – why'd they send me here?"

Newt clapped him on the shoulder. "_Greenie_, what you're feelin', we've all felt it. We've all had First Day, come out of that dark _Box_. Things are bad, they are, and they'll get much worse for ya soon, that's the truth. But down the road a piece, you'll be fightin' true and good. I can tell you're not a bloody sissy."

"That would be a compliment," Leo whispered to the _Greenie_, who then nodded.

"Is this a prison?"

"Done asked four questions, haven't ya? No good answers for ya, not yet, anyway. Best be quiet now, accept the change – morn comes tomorrow."

The _Greenie_ looked over at Leo, almost begging with his eyes for her to answer some of his questions. If she couldn't get hers answered, then he wouldn't either. She shook her head.

"Don't even bother _shank_," she said. "I didn't get bloody told anything, so you ain't either."

And that's when she noticed a small boy walking past the _Homestead_, that's when she got the idea. She looked over at Newt, who seemed to be thinking the same thing as he nodded. Chuck. They would use Chuck.

"Chuck'll be a good fit for ya," he said. "Wee little fat _shank_, but nice sap when all's said and done. Stay here, we'll be back."

Leo's heart almost flew out of her chest when the sudden loud, piercing screams of Ben ripped through the _Glade_. Every _Glader_ nearby quickly turned their attention to the _Homestead_, and the _Greenie_ turned pale.

She suddenly grabbed hold of Newt's arm, which made him jump a little. "Bloody hell," she muttered as she shook her head, trying to calm herself down. The _Greenie_ stared as he wondered how her character had changed so much from just a scream. Granted, it was a horrific scream, but it still made him confused as to how fast it had changed.

"_Shuck_ it," Newt said. "Can't the bloody _Med Jacks _handle that boy for then minutes without needin' our help?"

Leo shrugged as Newt shook his head, slightly kicking the _Greenie_'s foot. "Find Chuckie, tell him he's in charge of your sleepin' arrangements. C'mon Leo, we've gotta deal with this."

"But I don't want to," she said as she pouted.

"You don't have a choice."

She sighed as she looked back to the _Greenie_, who was looking even more confused than before.

"Chuck's a good kind. You'll like him," she said before she and Newt walked off to the _Homestead_ to go and deal with Ben going through the _Changing_.

…

The two stood right in front of the closed door, preparing themselves before they would have to see Ben. Leo was the most nervous out of the two of them. She had saved Ben's life and now she would have to watch him suffering through one of the most horrific experiences he would ever go through. As she stood there listening to him scream, she wondered if it would have been better if she hadn't saved him. At least he wouldn't have to suffer.

"Don't worry," Newt said, breaking her out of her thoughts. "You'll be fine."

She nodded. She knew that. "I-I saved his life…Just for him to suffer…"

"It was the right thing to do," he said, interrupting her. He placed his hand on her shoulder, bringing her closer to him. "You did well."

He kissed her on the forehead with a small smile before he knocked on the door. Alby called them in and Newt opened it, heading straight in. He didn't seem too worried about seeing it, and that was most likely because he had seen several of the other _Gladers_ go through the same thing. He would have been used to it by now. But this was Leo's first time seeing the _Changing_.

As she slowly walked into the room, the first thing she saw was Ben lying on the bed, screaming in agony. Alby stood in front of it, staring down at him with folded arms.

Ben had sickly green veins covering his skin with the purplish bruises, along with red hives and bloody scratches. She never could have imagined that the _Changing_ was this bad. And his screams were like something had possessed him, they were so animal-like and horrific.

She knew that if she ever saw him again, she wouldn't be able to see him as how he used to be. She would only remember this.

As she approached closer to the bed, she noticed Alby staring at her. For one of the first times in his life, he didn't wear his signature scowl. It was almost like he felt sorry for her to see this.

Almost.

"H-How long does the _Changing_ last?" Leo asked as she tried to look away from the trashing body on the bed.

"Depends," Alby muttered. "Ranges from _shank_ to _shank_."

She looked down at the ground. He could be like this for days? Weeks? Months? He could go through this torture for possibly months? Now she really wondered if it was better to leave him in the _Maze_ or not.

She felt sorry for every boy in the _Glade_ who had to go through the _Changing_. That included Gally. No one deserved to go through this kind of thing. She wished she could meet the people who did this to them and created the _Grievers_, so she could kill them with her bare hands.

"_The Changing! Look forward to it, shuck-face!"_

Leo glared at the door, hating the sound of his voice. Speaking of Gally, he was shouting from inside the _Homestead_, clearly to the _Greenie_. He must have been trying to scare him, like he had done with Chuck on his first few days.

Rolling her eyes, she turned her attention back to Ben. It made her feel sick to her stomach to think there would be people who could watch this and not have any reaction to it, who would seem to enjoy it.

She could hear the brass handle on the door turn as a cool breeze came into the room. She quickly turned her head to see the _Greenie_ standing there, staring down at Ben's thrashing body.

"Shuck," she muttered, knowing what would happen.

Alby jumped up as he blocked the _Greenie_'s view, but the damage had already been done. He had already seen. Ben's screams continued as Alby roughly shoved the _Greenie_ out of the room.

"What're you doing up here, _Greenie_!?" he screamed.

"I…uh…want some answers," the _Greenie_ murmured.

"Get your runtcheeks down those stairs right now. Chuck'll help you. If I see you again before tomorrow morning, you ain't reachin' another one alive. I'll throw you off the _Cliff_ myself, you get me?"

Newt looked over at Leo, not knowing what to do, but she didn't either. They were both just as clueless as each other. This had never happened before.

The _Greenie_ looked both humiliated and terrified at the same time as he pushed past Alby and ran down the stairs and out the front door.

Alby groaned as he shoved his head in his hands. "This _Greenie_'s gonna kill me…Leo, make sure he stays outta trouble. He's giving me a headache."

"You're sure? But…"

"We've got it Leo," Newt said as he gestured to Ben. She didn't need to question it twice as she nodded to both of them. She walked out the door, heading down the stairs to see Gally and his friends snickering.

"Hope you're proud of yourselves ya _shanks_," she said as she pushed past them.

"Very," Gally said with a sickening smirk.

…

As she searched around the _Glade_, she spotted Chuck and the _Greenie_ right next to the _Doors_, the _Greenie_ getting very close to the entrance. It was as almost as if he was going to walk in.

Her eyes widened as she started running towards them, tackling the _Greenie_ down to the ground as she pushed him away from the doors.

"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing _Greenie_?!" she yelled.

The _Greenie_ was shocked as his breath was taken out of his lungs as she pushed her foot onto his chest to prevent him from moving. Not until that moment did he realise what had actually happened.

"W-What?" he asked.

"The _Doors_ were about to close you twit! Didn't you tell him?" She glared over at Chuck whose cheeks started to burn.

"I was gonna, but you tackled him."

She sighed with relief as she stared over at the _Doors_. She brushed herself off as she stood back up, looking back to the _Greenie_.

"Sorry about that," she said as she stuck out her hand. "Panicked for a second there."

He glanced at her hand and then over to Chuck, almost asking if he could trust her. Chuck gave him a thumbs up, and the _Greenie_ sighed. He took her hand as she pulled him back to his feet.

"_Doors_?" he asked her as he stared at the walls. "I don't see any _Doors_."

"They aren't obvious till they close. They're just big openings otherwise."

"They close up every night," Chuck finished with a nod.

"What do you mean '_close'?_"

"You'll see in a minute. The big walls are gonna move until the gaps closed."

"You're jacked in the head," the _Greenie_ said and she laughed.

"Well, I guess I am a bit barmy to be honest. Must be to bloody run out there."

The _Greenie_ raised an eyebrow, wondering what she had just said. She groaned, hating to have to explain her slang terms to everyone.

"Barmy – mad or crazy. And Bloody's a swear."

"He's got an accent," Chuck said with a smile.

"An accent?" the _Greenie_ asked.

"Sure you noticed it," Leo said. "Came from a different country to you. We think Newt's from there as well."

"That's why they sound the same."

"Put a sock in it," she said as she rustled Chuck's hair, who pouted. "I assume you can gather what that one meant _Greenie_."

The _Greenie_ didn't seem to be listening as he stared at the _Doors_ again, almost as if he was in a trance at the sight of them.

"Got a name _Greenie_? You'll remember that much at least."

"Thomas," he replied, finally drawing his attention away from the _Doors_.

"Well, nice to meet you Thomas. I'll leave you in Chuck's _capable_ hands. I've gotta finish my job pulling weeds."

"Pulling weeds?" Thomas asked Chuck who shrugged.

"He makes it sound more fun than it is," he replied.

"I'll see ya tomorrow," she said with a wave. "Cheerio!" She laughed before she walked off back to the _Gardens_ to go and have a chat with Zart.

"Cheerio?" Thomas asked Chuck.

"Don't question it, you'll go insane thinking about it."


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own The Maze Runner nor any of the characters from it.

* * *

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN:**

An Uninvited Guest…

* * *

Day Sixty-Two – Part One – The "Glade"

_5 hours. 15 minutes. 23 seconds._

Her eyes felt like they were on fire as she stepped through the bright light in the door and out into the street. Her feet started to burn again and she felt like the bottom of her shoes had quite literally burned off and she was just walking in bare feet. She covered her eyes as she tried to see.

The little girl though seemed unaffected by all of it, so maybe it was a normal thing for her. She could finally make out some of the girl's facial features but only some. She could see the girl had emerald green eyes and she had shoulder-length strawberry blonde hair. She was very cute, but she had dirt covering her clothes and skin, not to mention she looked like she hadn't had a shower in years.

"_This, is our life,_" the girl whispered.

Leo looked at the town around her, finally able to take in the sights of her location. Any other time she had been in this location in her dreams, she had been running away from the horrid creatures. Now the street seemed too quiet, and she wondered where they had disappeared off to.

The whole placed was filled with destruction. Buildings that she almost seemed to recognise were completely destroyed, glass shattered everywhere and buildings torn apart. There were messages written in blood on the walls.

_Help us!_

_Stay out! Infected!_

The messages sent shivers up her spine as she quickly looked away.

She wondered why so many of the buildings seemed familiar to her.

_5 hours. 8 minutes. 57 seconds._

"Our life?" she asked.

The little girl nodded, staring down at the streets and the houses. It was almost like she was remembering things about them, like who had lived there and some memories she had of them.

She walked over to one of the houses and stood in front of it, placing her hand on the wall which was covered in a bloodied message.

_Infected inside. Stay out._

She trailed her hand over it before looking back to Leo. "_You used to live here. This used to be your home_."

_5 hours. 2 minutes. 39 seconds._

"My home?" She took a step closer as she stared at it. It was a small, two-storey house with all the doors boarded and the windows. But there was one window that was broken and there was glass underneath, some blood covering some of the pieces of shattered glass.

"_It'll never be the same…"_

The little girl trailed off as she looked around, almost as if she was searching for something. She seemed too comfortable in this environment which made Leo wonder how long she'd had to live with these conditions.

The streets were filled with corpses, but otherwise there was no sign of life. But the vicious screams could still be heard as they echoed through the empty street. She wondered how far away the creatures were and how loud they must have been screaming if she could still hear them.

The screams were reminding her more and more of Ben's screams during the Changing which was a very unpleasant thought.

_4 hours. 54 minutes. 21 seconds._

The little girl bent down, picking something up off the ground. As she inspected it, she smiled as she held it in her hands like it was a trophy. Leo looked down at her, wondering what she was holding that was so interesting. What the girl held was a metal pole that seemed to have been previously attached to a stop sign. That sign was several meters away and was covered in blood.

The girl looked at her with a nod. "_Defence_."

"Defence?"

The girl nodded as she pulled out the knife she had taken from the kitchen earlier with a smirk. She placed the knife at the end of the pole, moving it up as she sharpened it.

"_A way to defend myself," _she said as she continued the procedure.

"From those things?" Leo asked as she looked around for them. The girl nodded again as she continued to sharpen the pole. Leo never would have imagined that a girl at this age would be so interested in finding a weapon.

"_And the disease…"_

"Disease? What disease?"

"_Spread fast, got almost everyone in town."_

_4 hours. 41 minutes. 12 seconds._

Leo looked over at the corpses in the streets, finally realising what they had all died from. It must have been one of the worst diseases in the world if it killed so many people this quickly. And that fact that it was spread throughout the air and could infect anyone at any point.

"But…how?

"_You go crazy, you turn into him."_

She then pointed over to a man who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. He stumbled down the street, his head slowly turning towards them. Leo gulped as she slowly backed away.

His entire body was covered in sores. He only had one eye. He was missing his nose. Parts of his hair were ripped out.

He was more animal than man.

_4 hours. 30 minutes. 28 seconds._

"W-What is that…thing?" Leo asked as her chest tightened as it continued to stare at her, almost as if it wanted to eat her. It licked its lips with its purple tongue, blood pouring from his mouth as it turned into a grin.

"_That's my father…" _

…

_4 hours. 26 minutes. 44 seconds._

A sudden bright light woke her up, making her cover her eyes to prevent them from stinging. Everywhere else was dark though, which made her assume it was a flashlight. And she knew exactly who had one of those.

"Rise and shine sleeping beauty, we gotta get ready," Minho whispered with a smirk. She groaned as she grudgingly got up, slipping out of her sleeping bag as she rubbed her eyes.

"Can't you just wake me up normally for once?" she asked with a yawn.

He just shrugged as he motioned for her to follow behind him. The sun was only now starting to show a little colour as it lit up a quarter of the _Glade_ with an orange colour. It would be another hour before the rest of the _Gladers_ were scheduled to wake.

She quickly put the pins in her hair once his back was turned and dusted herself off, slowly walking behind him. She stepped over the other sleeping bodies as she thought about her dream. It was strange. Recently, she hadn't had one of those dreams in ages, but now it suddenly came back exactly where the last one had left off.

Almost like it was telling her a story.

A story she knew wouldn't have a happy ending.

_4 hours. 23 minutes. 12 seconds._

She noticed all the other _Runners_ suiting up at the _Homestead_, ready to go into the _Maze_. She quickly rushed into the _Map Room _to get her shoes, her backpack and her weaponry before joining the others. Because of her small shoe size, she was able to find them easily amongst the others.

As Minho stood in front of her, he dangled something in front of her face. She quickly noticed that it was one of the watches that the _Runners_ and the _Keepers_ always wore.

"Since you're by yourself today, you'll be needing this."

She took it out of his hands as she tightened it around her small wrist, a small smile on her face when she noticed the time written on the watch. It was going to be one of the first times that she wouldn't have to judge the time by the sunlight.

"The alarm's set for 6 am, and for four at night. An hour before the _Doors_ shut."

"Got it," she said with a nod as she tied up the laces on her runners. She grabbed her long knife as she shoved it into her backpack along with some food, bottles of water and some paper and a pencil.

_4 hours. 18 minutes. 50 seconds._

This would be first day in the _Maze_ by herself on her own _Section_. If she remembered anything from Minho's training, she knew to always remember where she was. If she couldn't, she would be dead before the Doors even closed.

_Section_ 6\. As she stared down at the mapped section in the room, she knew she was going to have an okay day. Not too easy, not too hard. Perfect for a beginner. But, it was also the one were Ben was stung, so that made her a bit more hesitant to run.

As she secured the backpack straps onto her shoulders and headed for breakfast, she stood in front of the closed _Doors_. She took a deep breath as she felt a hand on her shoulder, making her turn her head sharply. Newt stood there with a smile, a finger placed to his mouth as he nodded over to the _Deadheads_.

She took a look at the _Doors_, then to her watch. She had a few minutes to spare before the _Doors_ would open. She nodded to Newt as the two headed over to the _Deadheads_, out of view of the other _Runners_ and the rising _Gladers_.

_4 hours. 3 minutes. 59 seconds._

"Ready to run?" he asked. She could tell by the crack in his voice that he wasn't as confident as he tried to be. He was terrified. Terrified for her. The two of them both knew that they would always be scared of what lurked out in the _Maze_, but there was nothing that was able to stop her from having to go out there.

"Ready as ever," she said with a sad smile. As much as the _Maze_ scared her, she was more worried of Newt and how he was feeling. She guessed she would never be able to understand how scary it must be to someone you care about so close to death.

He nodded as he looked around to make sure no one was there to see them. He leaned forward and quickly kissed her, pulling her close as he grabbed her waist.

"Come back safely," he whispered, his breath hitting her face as it sent pleasurable shivers up her spine.

"I would never leave," she whispered back with a smile.

…

_3 hours. 59 minutes. 58 seconds._

She ran down the first corridor of the _Maze_, waiting until the _Section_ divider hit her view. That would have been around the spot where Ben was stung in broad daylight.

One of the _Runners_ had sprained his ankle and she was taking over his spot for a couple of days, at least she hoped it was only a few days. She and almost everyone knew she didn't have the stamina to run all that way for the extended amount of time.

So, she worked out that if she walked most of the way and only ran every once in a while, she would keep her stamina and also not need to take as many breaks for water and food.

She reached into her backpack and pulled out the knife, slashing off the ivy from the _Maze_ walls. She watched as it fell to the ground, then repeating the process on the next set. She made sure not to trip over it as she kept walking past, slashing away at any chance she could.

Every few minutes, she would glance at her watch. She would try to work out how much longer she had in the _Maze_ before she would have to head back.

_3 hours. 30 minutes. 20 seconds._

She felt like she was one of those kids sitting in a classroom, watching the clock as they waited for their lesson to be over. It was almost like torture for her at how slow time would go.

_3 hours. 29 minutes. 40 seconds._

She groaned as she stared up at the sky, the sun finally shining down on her with its powerful rays. She covered her eyes as it became too much for her eyes to handle before she went back to looking at where she was going.

_3 hours. 27 minutes. 55 seconds._

Being a _Runner_ was once of the worst experiences she had ever experienced. It was boring. Boring as hell. Even though the _Runners_ had all said the same thing to her, she had wondered if it could have been true. But it was. Even the thought of a _Griever_ popping out of the corner and grabbing her didn't get her out of her bored and tired mood.

_3 hours. 24 minutes. 22 seconds._

…

She drew a picture of a sunflower on one of the pieces of paper as she continued to walk around. It wasn't the greatest picture in the world, but you could at least tell what it was supposed to be.

_2 hours. 2 minutes. 13 seconds._

As she stuffed the paper back into her backpack, she noticed the sign hanging on the wall, its bold letters staring at her almost like eyes. She had seen it once or twice before, but the words still confused her.

**WORLD IN CATASTROPHE:**

**KILLZONE EXPERIMENT DEPARTMENT**

_1 hour. 55 minutes. 38 seconds._

Every time she went past it, she always wondered what the words meant.

Catastrophe – an event causing great and usually sudden damage or suffering; a disaster.

Killzone – the area of a military engagement with a high concentration of fatalities.

Experiment – a scientific procedure undertaken to make a discovery, test a hypothesis, or demonstrate a known fact.

Department - a division of a large organization such as a government, university, or business, dealing with a specific area of activity.

_1 hour. 42 minutes. 35 seconds._

She shuddered as she quickly walked past it, wondering why a sign like this would be in the middle of the _Maze_. It had never made sense to her, and she wondered if the _Creators_ had put it there, trying to tell them something.

But whatever they were trying to tell them, she couldn't figure it out.

_1 hour. 39 minutes. 41 seconds._

And then a loud, piercing alarm went off. She screamed as she covered her ears, trying to muffle the sound.

"Bloody hell," she cursed as she tried looking around for the source of the sound. It wasn't even a second later when her eyes widened as she realised what was happening.

It was the _Greenie Alarm_.

_1 hour. 37 minutes. 53 seconds._

She looked over to the entrance to _Section_ 6 and then to the corridor where she had just come from. The alarm continued to blare as she tried to figure out what she should do. She knew something bad was happening. The alarm kept distracting her out of her thoughts as she tried to think of the most logical thing to do.

_1 hour. 36 minutes. 27 seconds._

"Screw it," she said as she bolted into a sprint, heading back down the corridor and towards the _Glade_. She stared down at the ground as she followed the cut ivy, running like her life depended on it.

She didn't care if _Section_ 6 hadn't been mapped.

She didn't care if she would get yelled at by Minho.

She didn't care about the _Maze_.

She needed to get back.

_1 hour. 35 minutes. 56 seconds._

She knew the alarm would start to fade soon as she continued to run, speeding down the corridors as she took the sharpest turns, her feet slamming down onto the ground as she kept running.

_1 hour. 34 minutes. 43 seconds._

This wasn't right. The _Greenie Alarm _shouldn't be going off. It had only been a day since the last one. There was no way. The alarm started quietening down as she heard yelling from inside the _Glade_.

_1 hour. 33 minutes. 18 seconds._

What the hell were the _Creators_ doing?

…

_32 minutes. 46 seconds._

She slammed her foot down at the entrance of the _Glade_ as she ran through, noticing that there were some other _Runners_ standing around her. They were all the younger ones, or the ones without as much experience. She noticed that all the other ones or more "professional" ones were still inside the _Glade_.

"What the _shuck_ is going on?" one of them asked as they wiped the sweat from their brow.

"Why's the _Greenie Alarm _going off?" another asked.

The _Glade_ was in panic. People were going around yelling at each other, wondering what was going on and why everything seemed to be changing.

Emil stood there without an expression on his face as Hawk seemed to try and comfort him, or at least try to get some emotion back onto his face.

"Leo! What's going on?" Hawk asked when he noticed her standing there. She walked over as she looked around the _Glade_, wondering the _Keepers_ were.

"I have no bloody idea," she said as she panted, bending down slightly to catch her breath back. Her legs felt like jelly and her feet burned. She felt like her lungs were on fire as her head ached.

_28 minutes. 17 seconds._

"Everything is going out of order," Emil suddenly said, almost robotic-like. "This isn't normal. A new boy is supposed to come up in the _Box_ every month. This shouldn't be happening. Shouldn't be happening."

He started walking back and forth, pacing in a circle around Hawk who couldn't watch otherwise he would get dizzy.

"Find the _Keepers_, or at least Newt and Alby," Hawk said as he grabbed hold of her shoulder. "I'll keep this one under control."

She nodded as she looked over at Emil who continued to pace and repeat the same words over and over. "Shouldn't be happening."

"Good that," she said as Hawk quickly picked Emil up and walked away with him, not putting up a fight in the slightest.

_24 minutes. 31 seconds._

She walked towards the centre of the _Glade_, her mind racing at the possibilities of what could be happening. But she could never find a reason why. And there she noticed Newt standing there and she quickly rushed over to him with the little amount of strength she had left.

"Newt!" she shouted, making him turn his head to her. His eyes widened once he noticed where she should have been.

"Why're you back?" he asked, trying to hide his relief.

"The _Alarm_." She held her head as she took deep breaths in and out, trying her hardest to try and recover her strength lost from running.

"Newt, what's going on?" Thomas yelled.

Newt looked over at him and then back to Leo, concern on his face. "I'm fine," she said with a nod as she tried to smile.

She grabbed hold of his arm as the two walked over to Thomas, Chuck close behind him. She let go of his arm once she felt like she could walk properly again.

Newt swatted Thomas on the back. "Mean's a bloody _Newbie_'s coming up in the _Box_." He paused, waiting for Thomas to show some kind of reaction. "Right now."

"So?" Thomas asked.

"So? _Greenie_, we've never had two _Newbies_ show up in the same month, much less two days in a row."

Newt quickly headed off to the _Homestead_, going to get Alby.

_17 minutes. 24 seconds._

"Leo? What did he mean?" Thomas asked as he faced her.

"Every month, we get a new boy who comes up in the _Box_. Same day each month. Like a schedule. Been that way since…well, forever. Never had two show up two days in a row."

Thomas finally showed some emotion as his eyebrows raised, the new information seeming to startle him.

…

_2 minutes. 53 seconds._

The crowd had now gathered around the _Box_, everyone staring down as they waited for its arrival. Newt had somehow been able to drag Alby away from Ben's bed in the _Med Jacks _to come and see what was happening.

The two had then started to discuss the _Greenie_ right before Leo had to rush over and tell them that the _Box_ was starting to come up. Alby seemed reluctant to leave Ben, but he seemed a bit more relieved once he'd realised Jeff and Clint would stay behind to look after him.

If Alby and Newt weren't there for when the _Box_ opened, the _Gladers_ would panic and everything would be flipped upside down.

As Leo rushed out with Newt and Alby, she noticed Thomas staring straight at them. His face was pale as he'd realised who they'd gone to see. Ben. The boy who scared the living daylights out of Thomas on his first day, which happened to have been yesterday.

_57 seconds._

Chuck and Thomas continued their conversation while the three pushed through the crowd until they reached the front. They stared down at the entrance of the _Box_, all keeping calm. Well, that's what might have shown on their faces, but deep inside all three of them were scared.

What would be inside? Another boy? A _Griever_?

Everyone was silent as the sounds of the _Box_ lifting up towards them filled the air. Even the animals seemed to be dead silent, as if they knew the impending doom that awaited them all. She wondered if they were trained to be like that.

_15…_

Alby nodded at the two of them as they headed over to their places.

_14…_

Newt and Leo quickly grabbed hold of the hooks as they yanked on them, the doors slowly opening.

_13…_

Newt leaned forward to get a better look inside in the _Box_.

_12…_

With a sudden jerk, he pushed himself back. "Holy," he whispered.

_11…_

"Bloody hell," Leo whispered as her eyes widened.

_10…_

Alby looked inside too. "No way."

_9…_

The _Glade_ filled with questions as people started pushing each other to get a better look.

_8…_

"Hold on!" Alby yelled. "Just hold on!"

"Well, what's wrong?" Edwin shouted.

_7…_

Alby stood up. "Two _Newbies_ in two days. Now this. Two years, nothing different, now this."

_6…_

Alby looked at Thomas. "What's goin' on here, _Greenie_?"

_5…_

"How am I supposed to know?" Thomas asked, his face bright red.

_4..._

"Why don't you just tell us what the _shuck_ is down there, Alby?" Gally yelled.

_3..._

"You _shanks_ shut up! Tell 'em Newt."

_2…_

Newt looked back down into the _Box_, almost as if he was trying to see if what he saw was real or not.

_1…_

"It's a girl."

_0…_

"A girl?"

"I got dibs!"

"What's she look like?"

"How old is she?"

Leo felt disgusted. The girl hadn't even been there for a minute but she was already being tossed around like a rag doll. Or more like a piece of meat that the boys couldn't wait to devour.

Poor girl.

"That's not bloody half of it," Newt continued as he pointed inside the _Box_. "I think she's dead."

…

A couple boys grabbed hold of the rope as they lowered Newt, Alby and Leo down into the _Box_. As her feet touched the bottom of the _Box_, she turned her attention to the girl lying there.

Leo couldn't deny that the girl was beautiful, the perfect image of what the _Gladers_ might have imagined a girl to look like. She had pale skin with tar black hair. And judging by her face, she couldn't have been older than sixteen.

Leo's mind was going round and round in circles. Why would they send a girl up? Why would they send one without a disguise? And if they were always intending to send her up, why would they disguise Leo?

What was their sick plan?

"Ready!" Alby shouted as he attached the rope onto the limp girl.

Gally and a couple of others grabbed hold of the rope and pulled, lifting her into the air. The girl's lifeless body was dragged out of the _Box_ and placed gently down onto the ground. She watched as all the boys scramble around her like a pack of wolves. She narrowed her eyes at them.

Alby was the first of the three to be lifted out of the _Box_, then Newt as he slipped his foot into the rope. Once he was pulled out, he reached down and grabbed her hand, both of them pulling her out of the _Box_ and back onto the ground.

"_Greenie_, get over here," Newt called as he pointed at Thomas.

He started to sweat from nerves, looking guilty as he took a step forward. Why he looked guilty she had no idea, but it seemed suspicious considering the fact that he should not have known this girl.

Leo knelt down beside the girl, wondering if she was actually dead or just unconscious. She wasn't breathing, but the guys still continued to eye her like prey. She lifted the girl's hand up, touching her wrist to see if there was a pulse. She couldn't seem to find one.

Thomas slowly approached them, staring down at the girl almost in awe.

"You know this girl, _shank_?" Alby asked.

"Know her? Of course I don't know her. I don't know anyone. Expect for you guys."

"That's not-"

"Does she look familiar at all?" Leo interrupted, looking at Alby to warn him to keep his cool. If he did lose it, Thomas would be lying down on the ground with a bloodied nose. "Seen her before? Anything?"

"No. Nothing." Thomas looked down at his feet, then at the girl.

"You sure?" Alby asked. From his gaze, he didn't believe Thomas for a second, and neither did any of the other _Gladers_. And they had every right not to believe him. Nothing like this had ever happened before until he showed up.

"Yes. Why?"

"Shuck it. Can't be a coincidence. Two days, two _Greenies_, one alive, one dead."

"You don't think I…"

"Slim it _Greenie_," Newt said. "We're not sayin' you bloody killed the girl."

"We're not that stupid Thomas," Leo said. "We know that'd be impossible. But, are you sure that you've never seen her before?"

"I swear she doesn't look familiar at all," Thomas said.

Suddenly, the girl presumed to be dead, shot up. She shucked in a huge breath, her eyes opening as she blinked, staring at the crowd. Alby yelled as he fell backwards. Newt jumped as he stumbled away. Leo panicked and screamed as she crawled away from the girl. But Thomas didn't move.

The girl's piercing blue eyes darted back and forth, scanning the crowd.

"**Everything is going to change.**"

Her voice hallow and haunted but clear. It terrified Leo.

Her eyes rolled up into her head as she fell backwards. Her right fist shot into the air, staying ridged as it pointed at the sky. In her hand was a piece of paper.

Leo slowly walked up to the girl, pulling her fingers apart. Before the letter fell to the ground, Newt quickly grabbed hold of it. He unfolded the note, dropping to his knees as he spread the note down on the ground for everyone in the front to see.

Written on were five words – written in thick, black ink – in the same handwriting that was no Leo's note. It read:

**She's the last one.**

**Ever.**


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own The Maze Runner nor any of the characters from it.

* * *

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN:**

Attack Upon The Greenie…

* * *

Day Sixty-Two – Part Two – The "Glade"

The whole _Glade_ fell silent as eyes widened and searched around for others just as concerned as them. Newt had read the message aloud for the _Gladers_ at the back who weren't able to see, and they almost reacted the same as everyone else. Silence.

Leo stared down at the girl who had collapsed onto the ground, her chest rising up and down as if she was sleeping. Much to everyone's disbelief, she was very much alive. Newt stood back up as he crumbled the note in his hands, staring around at the rest of the _Gladers_.

Leo shifted from the silence, hating that no one would say anything. She wanted to break it, but she didn't what to say or what to do. Was there anything that could make this situation better? Or would it just make everything worse?

"_Med Jacks_!" Alby shouted, breaking the uncomfortable silence of the _Glade_.

Upon being called, Clint and Jeff pushed through the crowd, almost pushing Thomas to the ground as a result.

"So, what do we do with her?" Jeff asked as he started the girl up and down.

"How should I know? You two shanks are the _Med Jacks_. Figure it out!"

Clint sighed as he bent down beside the girl, checking the pulse on her neck and listening to the heartbeat in her chest. Leo couldn't believe it. When she had checked for a pulse, she couldn't find one. But Clint seemed to be able to find one within a matter of seconds.

Where was it before? Had she actually been dead for a few seconds and then was miraculously brought back to life?

"Did you find one?" she asked as she raised an eyebrow.

Clint lifted his head away from the girl's chest and gave a nod. "Steady," he replied.

"Hey, who said Clint had first shot at her?" one of the boys from the back shouted, a smirk on his face. "I'm next!"

Several of the boys laughed, having the exact same sick thoughts. Leo could feel her stomach churning at the thought of these hormonal boys taking advantage of this girl who had just been clinging to life.

Alby glared, growling. "If_ anybody_ touches this girl, you're gonna spend the night sleeping with the _Grievers_ in the _Maze_. _Banished_. No questions." He paused as he made eye contact with every _Glader_. "Ain't _nobody_ better touch her. Nobody!"

Clint stood back up as he dusted off his pants. "She seems fine. Breathing okay, normal heartbeat. Thought it's a bit slow. Your guess is as good as mine, but I'd say she's in a coma."

_Coma – a prolonged state of deep unconsciousness, caused especially by severe injury or illness._

"A coma…? But, how's that possible?" Leo asked.

Clint shrugged as he shook his head. "I have no idea honestly…Jeff, let's take her to the _Homestead_."

Jeff grabbed hold of her arms as Clint grabbed her feet, both readying to lift her at any moment. "On the count of three," Jeff announced. "One…two…three!"

The two quickly lifted her up into the air, almost tossing her with their over expectations of her weight.

"Geez guys, be careful," Leo said when she thought the girl was going to fall out of their grasp, but they quickly steadied themselves.

"Don't worry, we've got her," Clint said with a nod.

"Guess we'll have to see what she does," Jeff said. "We can feed her soupy stuff if she doesn't wake up soon."

"Just watch her closely," Newt said. "Must be something special about her or they wouldn't have sent her here."

As Leo looked around the _Glade_, she noticed how pale Thomas seemed to look, almost as if he was going to be sick at any minute. He gulped as his eyes seemed permentally stuck to the girl's face, almost as if he was trying to work out where he had seen her before.

"Put her next to Ben's room, and keep a watch on her day and night. Nothing better happen without me knowing about it. I don't care if she talks in her sleep or takes a klunk – you come tell me."

"Yeah," Jeff muttered as he started walking backwards, Clint having to instruct him on how to get inside the _Homestead_ and up the stairs. Once they'd gone, the _Gladers_ finally broke out into whispers.

Leo shook her head. "Something's wrong here," she muttered.

Newt raised an eyebrow. "More than her being here?" he asked.

She nodded. "Of course. Two _Greenies_ in two days…Why?" She moved closer until her mouth was almost near his ear. "And why would they not disguise her?"

Newt gave a satirical chuckle, shrugging his shoulders. "Since when have they ever done something understandable?"

Alby pushed towards Thomas as he grabbed hold of his shoulders. "You ain't never seen her before?" he asked.

Thomas hesitated before he answered. "Not…no, not that I remember."

"You're sure?" Newt asked.

"I…no. I don't think so. Why are you grilling me like this?"

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out Thomas," Leo said. "Two _Greenies_ in two days, one a boy and one a girl? Don't you think that's a bit suspicious?"

Thomas gulped again as he looked away from their eyes.

_Why is he acting so guilty? Is he lying to us?_

Alby shook his head as he turned to Newt, releasing his tight grip on Thomas. "Something's wacked. Call a _Gathering_."

Newt nodded as he watched Alby walk off with his mind racing. Newt glanced over at Leo, sending her the message that they all needed to leave. She looked over at Thomas who was standing with Chuck before she nodded at Newt as the two walked away from the two children.

…

"We've been having way too many of these," Leo muttered as she sunk lower in her chair. "This is getting ridiculous." She _hated_ _Gatherings_. After the first few times, they got very boring as the same opinions were shared at every meeting.

"Anybody got any ideas what's going on?" Alby asked, the frustration clearly evident in his voice. If she knew Alby like she thought she did, she knew that when there was a problem that Alby didn't know how to solve, he got very angry. He would spend days complaining and thinking about it until he either gave up or someone else gave him an idea. It took over actually taking care of the _Gladers_, so this is why everyone assumed that he was so angry all the time.

"Something bad," Edwin muttered as he looked around.

"Besides the obvious _shuck_-face," Alby said with a glare.

"Okay, why would they send a girl up?" Newt asked. "What's their motive?"

"Clearly, it has something to do with Thomas. He's been suspicious since Day One," Gally remarked as he folded his arms.

"You do realise that Day One was only yesterday-" Leo started.

"Doesn't matter! We need to lock him up! He doesn't belong here! He's…different…I saw him in the _Changing_. I know I've seen him somewhere. He knows something that we all don't."

"And you've confused me of the same things," Leo said as she raised an eyebrow.

"You're just annoying. He's _different_. I've seen him in the _Changing_. I've seen him."

"You're sure? You're not confusing him with anybody else?" Minho asked.

"Positive," Gally said with a nod as he leaned back on his chair.

The _Keepers_ all went into whispers and murmurs, everybody wondering what was happening. No one in the entire room knew what to think. The girl. Thomas. No one knew what was going on or why anything was happening.

Who were they? We're they really just innocent people who had shoved into here like themselves and become victims of the _Maze_?

We're they criminals who had been sent here as a punishment and somehow the people who had gone through the _Changing_ knew about it?

Or were they the _Creators_ pawns being brought to bring the _Gladers_ demise?

Leo assumed that she would never find out the answer until the very end…

…

Leo sighed as she walked through the graveyard, the leaves crunching underneath her feet from the trees surrounding her. While it was a strange and uncomfortable thing to admit, she felt almost at peace in this graveyard with the slight chilly wind and the rustling of leaves on tree branches.

She wondered how an area as peaceful as this could be in the exact same area as the Maze which was filled with terror and monsters.

"L-Leo? Is that you?"

She turned around and saw the Greenie, Thomas, staring straight at her. She noticed how dusty his pants were, which led her to look down at the ground where he would have been kneeling. She knew he was looking at the graves.

"Yeah, it's me. So, what are you doing?" she asked as she placed her hands in her jean pockets.

Thomas was obviously still not used to her accent, as he seemed to have a squinted look on his face, like he was trying to figure out why she had it even though she had already told him.

"What was the Gathering about?" Thomas asked.

She shrugged her shoulders. "Nothing special. Just talking."

"Talking about what?"

"You're way too curious for your own good, you know that right? It doesn't matter what we talked about. It's a private matter."

"But that's what makes me curious. I've barely been told anything."

"And that's the way it's been since forever. Every Glader has gone through the same thing as you. You get used to it. You know everything after a few days."

Thomas moved his eyes away from her and over to the grave of their old leader Nick. It had been ages since Leo had seen his grave, and as she saw it she knew why. The glass on top showed his rotting corpse sawed in half. She felt as if she was going to be sick as she looked away, trying to take her mind off the rotting body of one of her friends.

The sign on the front was written by Alby in his messy handwriting. His writing was obvious compared to everyone else's. His hand writing was rushed and very messy, the words almost unreadable because of the ink.

"_Let this half-shank be a warning to all:_

_You can't escape through the Box Hole."_

"You were there, weren't you?" Thomas asked as he glanced at her.

She nodded slowly as she looked everywhere expect the grave. "I guess you could say that. Not like I wanted to be there though."

"So, what happened to him?"

She sighed as she folded her arms. She wondered if she should keep it secret like every other Glader in the Glade, but this wasn't something that should be kept hidden, at least to her. This is what caused the death of a Glader. And if he already knew about the Grievers from his morning encounter, he shouldn't be too spooked about what happened.

She bent down onto the ground, sitting on her knees as she sighed. "Nick was our leader before Alby took over. When Chuck arrived in the Box, Nick had volunteered to go down after the Box decided to leave. He didn't say, but I knew he was thinking that he should at least do that to prove that he deserved to be their leader. To prove that he wasn't just a scared child, but that he was a brave leader ready to protect his people. We lowered him down about ten feet before we lifted him back up and…"

She sighed as she looked back down to the ground before looking back up. "He was sawed in bloody half, his lower half gone down the Box Hole…"

Thomas' eyes widened as his face seemed to pale at the thought. Leo shifted under his uncomfortable stare, almost as though that he wanted to know more, but was also scared to find out what could have happened.

"And then Alby took over and he became even colder than he was already. Those two were very close friends. But, Alby's never been one for questions."

"Not like I couldn't tell," he muttered under his breath, thinking that she couldn't hear him. But once he realised how insensitive it was, his face quickly softened. "I'm sorry."

She shrugged her shoulders as she stood back up, dusting her jeans off. "You didn't do anything. You didn't create that giant saw blade that cut him in half," she said.

Thomas nodded as he looked through the trees, trying to see the Box.

Leo sharply turned her head to the left when she heard something. Neither of them had moved to create the noise.

"Leo, what's wrong?" Thomas asked as he looked around, trying to see what was wrong.

"Shh," she hissed as she placed her index finger in front of her mouth. The two were silent for a few seconds before they heard the sound again, only this time louder.

A twig snapped.

Leo slowly moved closer, her heart beat increasing. She hoped that it was just one of the Gladers pulling a prank. For once, she hoped it was just Gally being his usual dickish self.

"Who's out there?" Thomas called.

She didn't make a sound as she continued to walk slowly towards the deeper part of the forest. Goosebumps formed on her arms. She knew she was easily scared, mostly from being so paranoid and her panicked state, but the Gladers knew not to do something stupid like this.

The last time they did it she had burst into tears from being so scared and Alby had to hold Newt back from beating the poor boy into oblivion.

As she edged closer, she slowly reached her hand down to her pocket, remembering the mysterious kitchen knife that was inside. She grabbed the hilt and slowly lifted it out of her pocket, holding it behind her back.

"Seriously, this is stupid," Thomas commented.

Leo turned her head with a glare. "Thomas, shut the hell up," she whispered, wondering how stupid he could be. Thomas quickly glanced at the arm behind her back and quickly realised what she was going to do.

A person hidden deep inside the trees started to run, using all of his strength and speed to charge, clearly forgetting about being stealthy as he quickened his pace.

Thomas froze from behind her, panic taking over. The figure running towards them was a male shadow with a limp.

"Who the he-"

"Thomas!" she growled, trying to keep her voice low. Clearly he had never seen a horror movie, cause if he had he would had known that you don't call out to your attacker. She couldn't remember what movie she was referring to or when she had even watched one, but she remembered some images on a T.V screen of a man with a knife running after a screaming girl.

The boy suddenly burst through the trees, rustling the leaves as he pushed past them.

Leo's eyes widened as her body went stiff, her jaw tightening. "Holy shuck," she muttered as the shadowed figure came to light.

The boy charging at them with all his strength, was Ben.

He seemed to look even worse than the last time she saw him, the sickly green veins on his skin becoming more noticeable as the purplish bruises increased in size as well as the red hives. The scars and scratches on his body weren't covered in blood anymore, but they were still red with a serious infection.

Leo's legs started to shake as she gripped tighter on the knife, not even sure if she would be able to lift it to defend herself. She thought she was going to have a heart attack as she started to hyperventilate.

Thomas cried out as he stumbled into a run, trying to get as far away from the insane boy as possible. Ben ran straight past Leo as he leaped into the air and crashed on top of Thomas, gripping him down with his strong hands.

Leo gasped as she turned her body, watching as Thomas crashed onto the ground and the grave next to him cracked.

"B-Ben!" Leo screamed, trying to get her voice back. "Get off him!"

Her unstable legs finally started to move as she made a run for them, stumbling on the first step.

"Get away!" Ben shouted at her. His intention was to hurt and kill Thomas, and only Thomas. Anyone else who got in the way of that was going to get hurt.

She lunged at him, grabbing hold of his waist as she tried to use her little strength to pry him away. Her mind was racing as she felt tears forming in her eyes as her throat went dry.

Ben kept his grip tight on Thomas, using his legs to kick Leo in the stomach. She yelped as she lost her grip, falling straight onto the ground face first. She clutched onto her stomach as she tried to regain her breath. She tried to push herself back up, but her arms were shaking so much that she fell back down.

Her eyes widened as she felt tears falling down her cheeks as she felt her chest starting to tighten and her stomach churning.

_No, not now. Anytime but now. Not now._

The knife clattered onto the ground, far away from her reach. She tried to push herself across the ground, trying her hardest to get to the knife. The silver blade caught the sunlight, almost blinding her as she squinted.

Ben crouched as he got ready to sprint for the knife. Leo used her all of her remaining strength, but Ben's hand reached down and grabbed the hilt, clutching it into his hands like he'd just won the Nobel Prize.

She tried to scream, but her throat felt tight and dry. Though her arms were shaking, she used her feet to push herself forward, grabbing hold of Ben's ankles. Ben screamed as he swung his legs around, smashing his foot right into her face. She whimpered as she felt the impact on her face, her nose starting to bleed. Ben reached down with one hand and grabbed hold of her collar, lifting her into the air and tossing her away.

Finally, her scream pulled through as it ripped her throat out as she slammed down onto the cracked grave, snapping it into two pieces.

"_Ben!"_

Leo slowly looked over to the right where she saw Alby standing there with a bow and arrow in his hands, aiming straight for Ben's chest.

Leo never knew she would be so happy to see Alby's scowl, but at that moment she would have been glad even if Gally had showed up.

Ben's attention drifted from Thomas and over to Alby. Leo lifted her hand to her nose and saw the coppery red on her hands, her tears mixing in with the red liquid.

Thomas slowly moved away from where Ben was and moved over to Leo. She noticed that during the attack, he had not suffered a single blow, not even a bruise or scratch on his arms. The only indication that he was even there was the dust on his clothes. He helped her to sit and he noticed how much her body trembled as her tears dripped onto the dirt, the blood slithered down her mouth and neck and onto her black shirt.

As she tried to breathe normally, she could taste the blood as some of it dripped into her mouth which made her gag. She fell back down as she started to hurl, Thomas turning his head away from her with a grimace.

"Ben. Stop right now, or you ain't gonna see tomorrow," Alby bellowed, his voice filling the entire _Deadheads_.

"If you kill me, you'll get the wrong guy," Ben shrieked. He turned to Thomas. "He's the shank you wanna kill."

"Don't be stupid, Ben. Thomas just got here – ain't nothing to worry about. You're still bugging from the _Changing_. You should've never left your bed."

"He's not one of us! I saw him – he's…he's bad. We have to kill him!" A sick smirk formed on Ben's face. "Let me gut him!"

It couldn't have been a coincidence that both Gally and Ben, who had both now gone through the _Changing_ had seen Thomas. She felt the pressure from her chest lifting as she felt herself starting to breathe. She slowly pushed herself up to sit, leaning her back against one of the trees as she closed her eyes.

"You leave that to me, the _Keepers_ and Leo to figure out, shuck-face. Right now, back your scrawny butt down and get to the _Homestead_."

"He'll wanna take us home. He'll wanna get us out of the _Maze_. Better we all jumped off the _Cliff_! Better we tore each other's guts out!"

She held her unbloodied hand in front of her mouth, trying not to gag at the thought. _Home, _she thought. She was almost envious of those who had been through the _Changing_. They had seen the world outside of the _Glade_. The real world. She never knew that the word _home _could bring such conflicting feelings.

"What are you talking-?" Thomas started.

"Shut your face! Shut your ugly, traitorous face!"

"Ben, I'm gonna count to _three_," Alby said.

"He's bad, he's bad, he's bad…" Ben whispered, swaying the knife back and forth in his hands.

"_One…"_

"Bad, bad, bad, bad, bad…"

"_Two…"_

"He's bad, he's not one of us, he's bad, don't trust him Leo…"

She felt her stomach churning at the mention of her name on his tongue.

"Ben," Thomas started. "I'm not…I don't even know what-"

Ben screamed as he slashed the air with the blade, leaping into the air as he charged.

"_Three!"_

_THWISH_; the arrow was released from the bow.

_WOOSH; _the arrow soared through the air, the wind carrying the pointed projectile towards its target.

_THUNK; _the arrow slammed into Ben's check, snapping to the left as his body twisted. His stomach slammed onto the ground, knocking the wind out of him.

As she watched his limp body fall to the ground, the tears started falling again as muffled her cries and screams, her breathing unstable again. She knew if she didn't get out there soon, she was going to have another attack.

The boy she had risked her life to save had been shot with an arrow. Dead.

Ben's pinky finger twitched as the blood oozed out of his cheek, drowning the dirt with red. The air smelled of the sickly stench of copper which made her want to gag once again.

Alby lifted his head, his scowl remaining. He didn't even flinch when the arrow sunk into Ben's skin.

"Go," he ordered.

Leo's legs were shaking as she used the tree to lift herself to stand, running off towards the Homestead. Her tears were blocking her vision. The taste of blood was still in her mouth as it continued to fall from her nose. Her left hand was stained with blood while the right was covered with dirt and scratches from the branches. Her stomach was in knots. Her chest tightened. Her throat was dry. She was hyperventilating. She was suffering from another attack.

She didn't know if she would be able to survive this one as her legs gave out as she fell to the ground in the middle of the _Glade_. She curled herself up into a ball as she screamed, hoping someone would hear her cries.

…

The little stared into the eyes of the diseased man who she claimed was her father. Leo looked between the two, trying to see any distinctive features of the two, but she wasn't able to tell as his face was pretty much destroyed.

"Your father?" Leo asked.

The little girl nodded as she gulped down her tears, chocking on her silent sobs. She tried to hold Leo's arm, but her arm fazed straight through her. So instead she just clutched tighter onto the metal pole, needing something to hold.

Leo desperately wanted to comfort the crying girl, but she couldn't. She tried to pull her in for a hug, but she just fell straight through her, landing down on the ground.

"_It's no use," _the girl whimpered as she wiped her eyes. "_You're not really here."_

Leo stood back up as she nodded. "I know. This is all a dream."

The little girl shook her head. _It's a reality…You're just not living it."_

A scream tore through the silent street as the creature stumbled towards them, flailing his arms as he ran straight for them. Leo turned her head and screamed as she noticed it getting closer and closer.

"Run!" she shouted as she tried to grab hold of the girl's hand. When she fazed through, she screamed again and just started running, making sure the little girl remained in front of her the entire time.

"_It's no use! They're too fast!" _

Leo was about to reply when she felt the wind being knocked out of her once again. She screamed once she felt the creature scratching her back, trying to turn her around. Leo kicked and punched, but the creature was way too strong and way to determined to hang on.

Almost like Ben.

The creature slashed through her shirt and tore through the skin, blood oozing out of the wound. It grabbed hold of her hair and pulled, ripping some of it out of her scalp. She screamed in agony as she continued to try and fight.

The creature grabbed hold of her waist and turned her, trying to claw the skin off her face. It scratched her nose, causing her to bleed.

_Not again. Not again, _she thought as she felt it dripping down her face.

The little girl felt herself going numb. She couldn't move. She clutched tighter on the metal pole as she tried to move her legs. They were shaking as her tears were taking control of her body. She took a step forward, than another.

"Get off me!" Leo screamed as she grabbed hold of the creature's wrists. The creature howled as it tried to bite down on her fingers. Drool dribbled down on her face as she gagged.

"_Get away from her!" _

Her scream echoed throughout the entire street, causing the creature to move its hands to its ears, lifting Leo's hands in the process. The girl swung as she smashed her father's skull. The creature fell to the ground, but it wasn't done. The girl lifted the pole into the air and stabbed her father in the head, blood spraying onto Leo's pants as the point stabbed his brain.

Leo crawled away as she grabbed hold of her chest, hearing her heart beating almost ten times as fast as normal. She took slow, deep breaths as she felt her back make contact with something. She turned her head and saw she had bumped into the little girl's legs.

The girl dropped the pole down onto the ground, tears sizzling on the ground as she stared in horror at the blood pouring from her father's head. She lunged towards Leo, and this time she didn't faze through. She gripped onto Leo's shirt as she cried and sobbed, screaming into her chest at the thought of what she'd done.

_I killed him! I killed him! I killed him! I kill my own father!" _she screamed.

Leo couldn't form the words she wanted to say as she held onto the shaking girl. The tears that stained her shirt didn't bother her, but she made sure to keep her nose away from the girl's hair. Only a few minutes ago, the two couldn't even poke each other, let alone have a hug like this.

The little girl's legs collapsed as she fell onto the ground, dragging Leo down with her as she continued to cry. Leo moved one hand to her nose and touched it, noticing that the blood had stopped and there barley any on her hands.

She sighed with relief as the girl's grip tightened. She had never been so happy to receive a hug from a stranger. She didn't know how long she'd have till she woke up, so she made each second worth it as she rubbed the girl's back, shushing her and trying to calm her down.

Emil had been right. She really was the Mother of the _Glade_. And even in her dreams was she the Mother figure. But, that title didn't seem to bother her anymore. It was almost a blessing…

* * *

Day Sixty-Three – Part One – The "Glade"

"Another nightmare?" Newt asked as he leaned his back against the tree. The two sat alone in the _Deadheads_ on their lunch break, watching the other _Gladers_ through the trees laughing and mucking around.

She nodded as she rested her head against the tree, trying not to think too hard about all of her problems.

"They're like stories," she said. She opened her eyes as she looked at him. "They can't _just_ be dreams. They don't normally continue like a story, nor do you remember them. But…"

Newt stared down at the ground, not sure of what he should say or do. Whenever she told him about her dreams, he had simply brushed it off as just a dream and nothing more. But once they got more frequent and telling a story of her and a little girl, he really wondered if it was just a dream or something else.

Leo sighed as she tugged down her sleeves, the air becoming a little colder than usual. "How's the girl doing?" she asked, trying to change the subject.

Newt shrugged. "Breathing. Hasn't woken up yet, but we don't think we will for a while. How are you about…Ben?"

At the moment, Ben was lying on a bed in the _Homestead_. The _Med Jacks _were unsure of his condition. Dead? Dying? Alive? They couldn't tell.

She shook her head. She didn't know how she felt. She felt relieved in a way that he could be dead. But she also felt bad that she thought that. Her thoughts were conflicting with each other, and it was driving her crazy.

Newt moved his hand through his pocket, gently grabbing onto the hilt and placing it into her hand.

"The knife. It's back in safe hands," he said with a small smile. She glanced down at it, noticing that it had been cleaned and somehow polished since the attack. He didn't question how she had gotten it in the first place or why she had it, which was something she was glad of.

Cause she didn't know the answer.

"Thanks," she muttered as she put it back into her pocket.

Newt moved his arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer to him. She lowered her head and rested it on his shoulder, breathing in his scent. "Keep your chin up, we're still alive."

A small smile made its way to her face. The words weren't reassuring in the slightest, but it was a cute idea to try and help her. They made her feel better only because he was saying it.

"I only wish that was enough," she whispered as he planted a kiss on her forehead.

"It is. It's all we need. I'm here. You're here. That's enough for me to be happy."

"Hmm, you're very easy to please," she said with a laugh.

"When you've been here for three years, you don't need anything else."

She sighed, wishing she could think the same as him. But she knew she wouldn't be able to anytime soon.

"Shh," Newt whispered as he raised his head up, looking all around. Her heart started beating faster in fear of what would happen. He slowly pulled her up to stand as Chuck ran through the trees towards them.

"Dammit Chuck, you scared me," Leo said as she sighed with relief, thanking whoever was above that it was just him.

"Sorry," he said, trying to breathe. "Alby has important information!"

Leo and Newt glanced at each other, than back at Chuck.

"Good or bad?" she asked.

Chuck tilted his head to the side, trying to figure out what the news he was to deliver was supposed to be.

"We'll assume neither," Newt said, interrupting Chuck's thought process. "What is it Chuck?"

"Ben…he's alive…He's not dead," Chuck said as he tried to catch his breath from the amount of running he had to do.

Leo eye's widened as goosebumps formed on her arms. Newt could feel her body tense as his arm brushed against hers.

"He's alive…but…how?" Leo asked.

Chuck shrugged his shoulders. "A miracle," he simply replied.

Newt narrowed his eyes, knowing what had to be done. "Leo, get the _Gladers_ ready. Tonight, we _banish_ him to the _Grievers_."


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own The Maze Runner nor any of the characters from it.

* * *

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:**

Banished Into the Maze…

* * *

Day Sixty-Three – Part Two – The "Glade"

Alby called another _Gathering_ to decide the verdict on the now alive Ben. Gally was really the only _Keeper_ who had any problem with _Banishing_ Ben, but that mostly was because Ben was one of his friends and also one of his best _Builders_. But, everyone came to the conclusion that Ben would be _Banished_ that night.

Leo couldn't believe how any of this happened. She couldn't believe that after being shot in the face with an arrow, he survived. This was also going to be her first _Banishing_, and it had to be of a person she risked her life to save.

That day she really did wonder if it was worth the effort to save him.

Regardless, she felt very sick at what the _Banishing_ could involve.

Jeff and Clint had told the _Gladers_ how amazed they were with Ben's recovery speed, and the fact that he recovered in the first place. Not only that, but he was still in the middle of going through the _Changing_. But Clint had mentioned during the _Gathering_ that his behaviour had lessened and now he was just filled with terror and dread instead of a blood lust for Thomas.

After the _Gathering_, Leo followed orders as she walked around the _Glade_, telling the _Gladers_ to get prepared for the _Banishing_. She told more or less the older ones or the ones who had been in the _Glade_ the longest. She knew that when she told Chuck, he would go and tell everyone younger than sixteen, and that included Emil.

Speaking of Emil, with everything that had been going on, she had almost forgotten about his problems. Ever since Thomas arrived in the _Glade_, which was three days ago, he had stopped having nightmares. And by stopped, they vanished.

Not a single one.

Whenever he rambled, there was no emotion behind his voice and it was all spoken in flat monotone. Thomas noticed that whenever Emil walked past him, he would always send glares towards him and the smile on his face would turn into a frown.

Thomas had asked Leo if Emil hated him, but she couldn't provide him with an answer. Though she was the closest person to Emil, she never really knew what ran through his mind on a day to day basis. It was always a mystery.

"_Alby! Newt! Somebody get them!"_

She could tell that the scream was from Thomas. Wondering if he was being attacked once again, she quickly ran over to where she thought his voice was coming from. She noticed Thomas standing there waving his arms, trying to get someone to notice him.

"_Leo! Come help!" _he shouted once he noticed her coming towards him.

He was standing at the entrance to one of the _Doors_, standing near a boy who was lying on the ground. She couldn't tell who the figure was but she had a very bad feeling that that person had just come out of the _Maze_ and could possibly have been stung.

She quickly rushed over and noticed that the figure lying on the ground was Minho – the _Keeper_ of the _Runners_. Her mind raced with questions and horrors. There was _no way_ that Minho could have been stung. Could there?

"Hey – you okay?" she could hear Thomas asked as he kneeled down beside him.

"I'm...fine," Minho said in-between breaths. "Who the _klunk_ are you?"

"I'm new here." He paused, realising that he wouldn't have known his name. "I'm Thomas – been here just a couple of days."

"The infamous troublemaker," Leo said as she walked up.

"Oh yeah, Thomas. _Newbie_. You and the chick." Minho paused as he looked over at Leo with a smile. "How you doing Leo?"

She shrugged. "Better than usual. You ain't looking so hot though."

Minho was about to laugh when Alby jogged over, his face clearly showing his displeasure. "What're you doing back, Minho? What happened?"

"Calm your wad, Alby," Minho replied. "Make yourself useful and get me some water – I dropped my pack out there somewhere."

"You dropped your pack?" Leo asked. "Something real bad must've happened for you to drop that."

Alby kicked Minho in the leg. "What happened?"

"I can barely talk, _shuck_-face," Minho yelled, his voice raw. "Get me some water!"

Alby looked at Thomas with a slight smile on his face, right before it faded back to its usual scowl. "Minho's the only _shank_ you can talk me like that without getting his butt kicked off the _Cliff_."

Then he walked off to fetch Minho his much needed water.

"He lets _you_ boss him around?" Thomas asked.

Minho shrugged as he wiped the sweat off his forehead. "You scared of that pip-squeak? Leo, haven't you taught the shank anything? Dude, you got a lot to learn. Freaking _Newbies_."

"Haven't had the time with all the _klunk_ that's happened," Leo said.

"Isn't he the leader?" Thomas asked.

"Leader? Yeah, call him leader all you want. Maybe we should call him _El Presidente_. Nah nah – _Admiral Alby_. There you go."

Leo laughed. "We call Gally - _Captain Gally_, so why not?"

Thomas looked over at her, mouthing the words "_Seriously?" _before he looked back at Minho. "So, who is the leader if he isn't?"

"_Greenie_, just shut it before you confuse yourself more." He sighed, muttering to himself. "Why do you _shanks_ always come in here asking stupid questions? It's really annoying."

"What do you expect us to do?"

"Do what you're told, keep your mouth shut. That's what I expect."

Minho stared at him with a straight face, making Thomas scoot back a few inches on reflex.

"Yeah, I'm sure that's exactly what you did as a Newbie."

"It's what you might want to start doing," Leo said as she raised an eyebrow. Thomas glanced over at her, curious as to what she meant before Minho glared.

"I was one of the first _Gladers_, slinthead. Shut your hole till you know what you're talking about."

Thomas, who now seemed a little scared by Minho, made a move to get up before Minho grabbed his arm. "Dude, sit down. I'm just playing with your head. It's too much fun – you'll see when the next _Newbie_…Guess there won't be another _Newbie_, huh?"

"Guess not."

"Well, when the girl wakes up, you can mess around with her," Leo said, earning her a glare from Thomas. Minho snickered as he imagined the thought, but he got serious again as he squinted.

"You saw the chick, right? Everybody says you probably know her or something?"

"I saw her. Doesn't really look familiar at all."

"She hot?"

"Minho," Leo said with a sigh. "Keep it in your pants."

"Can't blame a guy for wondering," he said with a smirk.

Thomas paused, thinking the question over seriously. "Yeah, I guess she's hot."

"Yeah, you guess. If you got a thing for chicks in comas, right?"

"Right." Thomas looked uncertain, almost as if he didn't know what to think of Minho. "So…did you find anything today?"

"You know what, _Greenie_? That's usually the dumbest _shuck_-faced thing you could ask a _Runner_. But not today."

"What do you mean?" Thomas asked.

"Just wait till the fancy admiral gets back. I don't like saying stuff twice. This one over here would that very well, wouldn't ya?" he asked as he placed his hand on her shoulder, making her roll her eyes.

"You tried instructing me while I was half-asleep," Leo said as she folded her arms.

"No excuse shortie," he said as he placed his hand on her head. "I mean look at the difference. It's remarkable."

"I'm not that short," Leo pouted, which made Minho want to pinch her cheek like a little child.

Thomas raised an eyebrow, his mouth almost open. He didn't understand how Leo could put up with Minho's antics, but what really surprised him was that Leo had ran the _Maze_ before. Though they hadn't directly said it, he had picked it up during their conversation.

Minho turned back to Thomas, remembering that he was still there. "Plus, he might not want you to hear it anyway."

"Is it that bad?" Leo asked and Minho nodded.

"Well, at least tell me why you look so tired," Thomas said. "Don't you run out there every day?"

"Yeah, _Greenie_, I run out there every day. Let's just say I got a little excited and ran extra fast to get my bee-hind back here."

"Why?"

"Dude. I told you. Patience. Wait for _General Alby_."

"He doesn't have much of that," Leo whispered into Minho's ear.

"And you have room to talk?" he whispered back with a smirk.

"Okay, I'll shut up. Just make sure Alby lets me hear the news too."

Minho looked at him for a second, studying him like he was trying to solve something. "Okay _Greenie_. You da boss."

Alby walked up to them, a big plastic cup filled with water in his hands. Once he'd handed it to Minho, he gulped the entire thing down without taking a single breath.

"Okay," Alby said, "out with it. What happened?"

Both Minho and Leo raised their eyebrows as they looked over at Thomas.

"He's fine. I don't care what this shank hears. Just talk."

Minho struggled to stand, even as he grabbed hold of Leo's shoulder to push himself up. His body was completely exhausted. He leaned against the wall, his hand still on her shoulder. "I found a dead one," he said, a cold look in his eyes.

"Huh?" Alby asked. "A dead what?"

Minho smiled. "A dead _Griever_."

Alby was in shock. Leo was terrified by the news but also amazed. "Are you serious?"

"Ain't a good time for jokes," Alby said.

"Look, I wouldn't believe me if I were you, either. But trust me, I did. Big fat nasty one."

"You found a _dead Griever_," Alby repeated.

"Yes, Alby," he replied annoyed. "A couple of miles from here, out near the _Cliff_."

Alby looked towards the _Maze_ and then back at Minho. Leo took a nervous glance at the open doors of the _Maze_, wondering if something such as a dead Griever could really exist.

"Well…why didn't you bring it back with you?" Alby asked.

Minho laughed. "You been drinking Frypan's saucy-sauce? Those things must weigh half a ton, dude. Plus, I wouldn't touch one if you gave me a free trip out of this place."

"Neither would anyone in this place," Leo said as she looked at Alby like he was crazy, which he probably was. Everyone was going a bit crazy after spending so much time in the _Glade_.

"What did it look like? Were the metal spikes in our out of its body? Did it move at all – was its skin still moist?"

Leo shuddered, thinking about that _Griever_ she had encountered while trying to save Ben. She had really hoped that she would never have to see the disgusting image of it and its horrific features again.

"Slim it man," Minho said. "You gotta see it for yourself. It's…weird."

"Weird?" Alby and Leo asked in unison.

"Dude, I'm exhausted, starving, and sun-sick. But if you wanna haul it right now, we could probably make it there and back before the walls shut."

Alby looked down at his watch, shaking his head." Better wait till the wake-up tomorrow."

It wasn't necessarily because of the lack of time. Granted, they had about another four hours left before the _Doors_ would shut. This would be because of Ben's _Banishing_ and the amount of preparation they would need to do for it.

"Smartest thing you've said in a week," Minho said, slowly talking his hand off of Leo's shoulder as he leaned against the wall, righting himself back to his normal self. He hit Alby on the arm as he walked back to the _Homestead_ with a slight limp, his legs exhausted from the amount of running.

"A week. C'mon, it's been longer than that," she said with a smirk, making Leo give her a glare which made Minho chuckle from a distance.

"Leo, slim it," Alby said. This little indication showed the difference in how he treated Minho and Leo. Thomas took a mental note to not get on Alby's bad side…again.

"I should go back out there, but screw it. I'm gonna go eat some of Frypan's nasty casserole," Minho shouted from over his shoulder.

"Hold on, I need some food too," Leo shouted as she started running after him. She quickly caught up to him, which made Thomas widen his eyes.

"It's got meat in it," he said with a smirk.

"Frypan will make me something special."

…

"Hurry up in there," Alby shouted. "I want ya back in twenty minutes!"

The _Runners_ had just come back from running the _Maze_ and they needed to map the Maze pattern as usual. _Section_ 6 would have been mapped by Minho, who had also ran _Section_ 8 that day as well. Newt had persuaded Minho to run both because of how traumatised she was from Ben's attack and the nightmare she had. Minho was very considerate, probably because of Newt and his past experiences so he felt like he should do that much.

Alby was starting to get suspicious of the two, but he eventually shrugged it off thinking that Newt was just considerate.

As the night had started to fall, Newt and Alby had gathered every _Glader_ at the _East Door _about half an hour before the _Doors_ closed, the first traces of twilight creeping over the sky.

Out of the entire crowd, Thomas was the most uneasy out of them all. He was the reason that Ben was going to be _Banished_. His attention kept drifting to the _Maze_ corridors like he was expecting one of the _Grievers_ to jump out at him at any second.

The other _Gladers_ murmured their conversations in hushed voices, the feeling of dread and anticipation hanging over them like rain cloud. Leo could the shivers running up her spine as the cold breeze hit her like a ton of bricks.

The _Runners_ all came out of the _Map Room_, exhaustion written all over their faces. Alby finally nodded at them. "Bring him out!" he shouted.

From around the corner of the Homestead, three large boys walked out as they dragged Ben across the ground. His clothes were in tatters, barely hanging onto his body as the thick bandage that covered half of his face and head was covered in fresh blood.

Though his body was limp, his eyes were wide open as he stared at everyone surrounding the Doors.

"Newt," Alby said, lowering his voice back to normal. "Bring out the Pole."

Newt nodded, slowly moving over towards the small tool shed that held all of the equipment used by the Track Hoes and the _Builders_. He had been waiting for this order, clearly indicating how many _Banishing_'s they'd had prior to this one. She had wondered how she hadn't seen the pole earlier.

She watched as Ben continued to be dragged across the ground and to the front of the crowd, pulling him to his feet in front of Alby. Ben hung his head low, refusing to make eye contact with anyone in that crowd.

"You brought this on yourself, Ben," Alby said. He shook his head with a sign as he looked over to the tool shed in which Newt had gone into. Newt walked through the slanted door, holding several aluminium poles that connected the ends together to make an almost six meters in length. Once he'd finished, he grabbed hold onto something attached to one of the ends, dragging the entire thing towards the giant crowd.

Leo felt like her legs were going to give out as she caught her breath. She had assumed this was going to be something bad, but she had never expected how traumatic this would have been for everyone involved. As she watched Ben's eyes widen even more, she almost felt guilty for what was about to happen. But she knew that he had broken one of their main rules and did need to be punished. If he hadn't of been stopped, either Leo or Thomas would have ended up dead.

Newt stepped over to Alby, handing the edge of the pole over to him. A loop of rough leather was fastened onto the metal with a massive staple, a large button snap revealed that the loop could be both opened and closed. She gasped, her chest aching once she realised what it was. She knew what the rough leather was supposed to represent.

A collar.

The collar that she had been told that Max had worn when he got stuck in the _Maze_ overnight and the _Grievers_ brought it back the next morning.

The collar symbolised death.

Ben would be dead the following morning.

Alby unbuttoned the collar, wrapping it around Ben's thin neck. Ben stared at the collar as it snapped closed around him, attaching him to the metal poles. Tears were pouring down his cheeks as snot oozed from his nose, his breaths becoming rapid as he tried to control himself.

"Please, Alby," he pleaded, his voice cracking as he cried. "I swear I was just sick in the head from the _Changing_. I never would've killed him – just lost my mind for a second. Please, Alby, please."

Alby said nothing as he pulled the collar closer to his neck to make sure it was secure and firmly attached. He walked straight past Ben and picked up the metal pole off the ground, sliding it between his fingers. As he reached the end, he gripped it tight as he faced the crowd.

Bloodshot eyes. Face wrinkled in anger. Breathing heavily. He was a mess.

Ben was trembling. Crying like a five year old child.

She felt a tear drip down her cheek, making her quickly wipe it to make sure others didn't see.

Alby spoke up, looking at both no one and everyone at the same time. "Ben of the _Builders_, you've been sentenced to _Banishment_ for the attempted murder of Thomas the _Newbie_ and the attack on Leo the _Track Hoe_. The _Keepers_ have spoken, and their word ain't changing. And you ain't coming back. Ever." He paused. "_Keepers_, take your place on the _Banishment Pole_."

Her eyes widened as her breath hitched. Others were glancing at her, making her feel small and even more guilty. She was part of the reason he was being _Banished_. She felt like she couldn't breathe properly as she watched the Keepers grab hold of the pole with both hands, gripping it like it were life or death. Minho, Winston, Zart, Edwin, Gally. They were all there.

Newt glanced over at her, nodding at her to look the other way. She didn't know if she would be able to take her eyes of the horrific incident, no matter how much she might have wanted to.

The air was silent as the ten _Keepers_ stood in their place, all spaced out evenly between Alby and Ben. The only sound that could be heard were the muffled sobs of Ben, who kept wiping his nose and eyes. He looked left and right, the collar preventing him from seeing the pole or the _Keepers_.

"Please," Ben cried, his voice desperate. "Pllllleeeeeeeeease! Somebody, help me! You can't do this to me!"

"Shut up!" Alby roared.

Ben ignored him as he continued to plead, pulling on the collar with all of his strength.

"Someone stop him! Help me! Please!"

His eyes followed every _Glader_, begging them with his eyes. Everyone looked away, trying not to make eye contact.

Thomas slowly stepped behind a tall boy in front of him.

Ben caught eye of Leo's teary eyed figure, watching her chest rise up and down in panic and distress. She felt like she was going to throw up and collapse once she met his eyes by accident.

"Leo! You saved me! Help me! Do it again! Pllleeeeeease! Help me!"

She felt herself stumble as her chest started hurting, her head pounding as more tears fell down her cheeks. She tried to look away, she tried to speak, but she couldn't do anything. She had froze.

"Ben! Shut your trap!" Newt shouted, his face turning red from anger. Gally raised an eyebrow from the other side, his suspicion of the two growing even more.

Ben looked over at Newt, his face so pathetic looking it made her want to crawl into a hole and slowly die from the guilt eating away at her heart.

"He can help me! Pllleeeease let him help me! Please!"

He looked over at her again, and this time she felt her legs really give out. She stumbled backwards and fell into Hawk's arms. He lowered her down to the ground so she could regain her strength, but she didn't know if she could.

Her panic attacks were getting worse and worse.

She covered her mouth with her hands as she sobbed, not being able to stop the tears falling down her cheeks.

"He can't help you," Newt said back, growling.

"If we let _shanks_ like you get away from that stuff," Alby started, "we never would've survived this long. _Keepers_, get ready."

"No, no, no, no, no," Ben chanted. "I swear I'll do anything! I swear I'll never do it again! Pllllleeeeeee-"

His cry was cut short by the loud rumbling crack of the _East Door _beginning to close. Sparks flew from the stone as the wall slid to the left, groaning as it started to close off the _Glade_ from the _Maze_ and the _Grievers_.

The ground shook underneath them and Leo took the chance to turn her head away from the impending end.

"_Keepers_, now!" Alby commanded.

Ben's head snapped back as his body jerked forward. The _Keepers_ pushed the pole towards the _Maze_ as a piercing cry came from Ben's throat, overpowering the sound of the closing _Doo_r.

He fell down his knees, only to be jerked back to his feet by the _Keeper_ in front of him – Edwin.

"Noooooooooo!" Ben screamed, thrashing about as he teared at the collar with his bare hands. With the combined strength of the ten _Keepers_, Ben was no match as he was pushed closer and closer to the _Doors_.

"Noooo!"

He tried to stick his feet down into the ground, but it only lasted for a second as the pole sent him jerking into the _Maze_. He was a meter into the _Maze_ corridor as his body jerked from side to side, trying to escape the clutches of the collar.

It was only seconds before the _Doors_ would close.

With one last violent effort, he twisted his neck in a circle of tight leader, his whole body facing the _Gladers_. The only thing in Ben's eyes at that moment was madness. Phlegm flew from his mouth, the skin stretching across his veins and bones.

"Hold!" Alby commanded.

Ben screamed without a pause, the sound so piercing she had to cover her ears as she continued to cry and panic. She couldn't control herself as his screams continued, her hands doing nothing to silence the noise.

At the last second, Edwin loosened his grip on the metal pole from the end attached to Ben, yanking it back into the _Glade_. Ben's final scream was cut short as the _Door_ closed on him with a loud boom, defining his fate.

Death.


	18. Chapter Eighteen

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own The Maze Runner nor any of the characters from it.

* * *

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN:**

Changing the Way the Glade Works…

* * *

Day Sixty-Four – Part One – The "Glade"

Covered in sores. One leg. Half an arm. No nose. Hair missing. Purple tongue. Bloody mouth. Tattered clothes.

There was no way this could have been Ben.

Is this what the _Grievers_ had done to him, or she was she confusing him with one of those horrific creatures she had seen during her dreams?

But, she was standing in the middle of the _Maze_, right where she had discovered that he had been stung during broad daylight. Expect now it was in the middle of the night, and the moans of the _Grievers_ pierced the silence.

She took a step backwards as she found it hard to breathe. The creature – or Ben – was coming closer and closer to her, his eyes staring straight through her and into her soul. She tried to take another step, but she noticed that she had run into something. She took a quick glance and noticed that it was the _Doors_ to the _Maze_. They were closed. Shut.

She pounded as hard as she could on the _Doors_, begging for them to be open. She screamed as loud as she could, tears falling down her cheeks as she realised what was going to happen. She was going to die inside the _Maze_ by whatever Ben had turned into.

If anyone could hear her screams, they didn't acknowledge it as the night remained silent. She continued to scream, to cry. But there was no one coming to save her. She turned back around and saw him only a metre away from her. She didn't know where to go or what to do.

"…_Why…?"_

She felt like her chest was going to explode as she grabbed onto it, trying to stop it from burning. He kept getting closer and closer, his bloodied from making her feel sick. Her stomach churned as she gagged, hating the coppery smell that emitted from him.

"…_Why did you let them…?"_

She found it hard to breathe as his voice sent chills up her spine. It wasn't like his usual voice. It was menacing, deep, gravely, animalistic. It was everything that Ben had been during the _Changing_. Expect it had multiplied by at least a hundred.

"…_Why did you let them KILL me…?"_

He blamed her for his death. He blamed her for letting him be trapped in the _Maze_. She felt her knees buckle as she fell to the ground, not knowing how she was going to survive. She was going to die.

Ben suddenly screamed as he sprinted towards her, grabbing hold of her shirt and smashing her head against the _Doors_. She screamed in agony as her head started to bleed. She felt herself spinning as her vision started to fade.

"…_You did this. YOU did this…"_

He kept screaming as he continued to smash her head against the _Doors_. She felt like her whole body was shutting down as she felt something leaking out of her nose. She couldn't bear to touch it, not wanting to know what it was. She hurled onto herself as she lost control of herself, her head splitting open as her skull started cracking, some of the pieces falling onto the ground.

But nothing was stopping him as he continued to smash. She felt blood pouring out of her mouth and down her face as she started falling down to the ground, her head smashing against the floor which caused even more damage.

"…_Hope you taste good for the Grievers…"_

He snarled as a sickening smirk appeared on his face as the moaning of the _Grievers_ became louder and louder. Just as she felt herself dying, she felt a metal arm lifting her off the ground right before she felt something ripping at her legs. She took once last scream before she felt her heart stop beating.

…

Sweat dripped down her forehead, her panicked breaths breaking the silence of the early morning. The beeping from her watch went off a second later, making sure there was no way she was able to get back to sleep. She tried to calm herself down as she took deep breaths, noticing that the Keepers were starting to wake up along with the _Runners_. She felt like screaming, but her throat seemed to have been ripped raw. She assumed she must have been screaming not long before she had woken up.

"Leo, you okay?" Newt asked as he limped over, bending down to reach her.

She shook her head as she took a deep sigh, wiping the sweat off her face along with the tears that had slipped down her face during her nightmare. She wondered if Thomas had had a similar dream to her, considering how guilty he had been feeling about Ben's _Banishing_.

"Bad dream," she said as her shaking hands reached for the pins, placing them into the ends of her hair.

"About Ben?" he asked. She nodded, her hands still shaking as she lowered her head as she tried to calm herself down. "How can I help?"

Her eyes widened as she rose her head. "H-Huh?"

"With your attacks? How can I help?" he asked again, his eyes filled with sincerity that it made her heart flutter. She didn't give an answer as she just moved closer to him, wrapping her arms around his waist as she buried her head in his chest. He took the hint as she wrapped his arms around her, his head resting on top of hers as he smiled.

"A lot of people have nightmares after seeing their first _Banishing_," he whispered to her, and she nodded. She was finally glad that one of her nightmares were actually normal and not just happening to her. Just sitting there in his embrace almost felt normal, like she was a normal teenage girl.

Sadly, that came crashing down when she heard rustling from the sleeping bag next to her, making her sigh as she moved out of Newt's warm embrace. He raised an eyebrow at her, but she shook her head as she looked over at Emil, who was now waking up.

He opened his eyes as he rubbed them, yawning as he stared at his surroundings.

Newt sighed as he looked down at his watch, realising what the time was. "Come see me at the _Homestead_ in an hour. I've got a lot of work to do."

She could tell how tired he was from the dark circles under his eyes, but his smile as he pushed himself back up could have fooled anyone else. She nodded as he started walking off, nodding at Alby and Minho who were walking over to the _Map Room_.

"That wasn't Thomas, was it?" Emil asked groggily.

Leo shook her head. "No, that was Newt. Thomas is still asleep," she said as she moved herself out of her sleeping bag, standing up as she stretched.

"Good, I don't like him."

"You don't like Thomas? Why? Did he do anything?"

Emil shook his head as he looked around for him, but once he couldn't find him, he turned back to Leo.

"Not yet. But he's bad…He and that girl are very bad people. Very bad. They're the devil. They're just fooling you, but they'll quickly turn around and stab you in the back once you've gained their trust."

"Emil, have you been hanging around Gally or something?"

"No! I just know! I'm a genius! I am NEVER wrong about these things!" He sighed as he shook his head, lying back down as he turned to face the other way. "Don't come crying to me when they ruin your lives."

She knew there was no point talking to him after that. She knew that because of his age, he would ignore her and give her the silent treatment because he was mad at her. She just brushed herself off as she walked away, but his words still hung around in her head.

Why would he believe that they're bad people with no evidence? He must have been hanging out with Gally to form that opinion. She shook her head, trying to get rid of his words when she noticed Alby and Minho again, talking in the middle of the _Glade_.

Only the two of them would be running the _Maze_ today. Right after the _Banishing_, there was another _Gathering_ where the _Runners_ were invited to join. After much discussion, Alby had decided that only the two of them would go and investigate the "dead _Griever_" since it could be dangerous with more people. And if something bad were to happen, Alby would much rather the two of them died rather than all of the _Runners_.

So, she would be off working with the Track Hoes today. But she had to remain near her running gear at all times. If they didn't return within two hours of the _Doors_ closing, all the _Runners_ were ordered to go into the _Maze_ and try to find them. If they weren't found within ten minutes of the _Doors_ closing, then they were gone and the _Runners_ would be ordered back into the _Glade_.

She just hoped that nothing would go wrong.

She headed over to the _Map Room _with the rest of the _Runners_, all of them looking at each other with uncertainty and dread. Nobody knew what was going to happen today, but all of them hoped that the two would make it back without needing their help.

She grabbed her backpack and filled with the long knife she had acquired to liking and a bottle of water, as they would be the only things she could possibly need if requested. Once she placed on her running shoes, she made her way over to the _Homestead_, noticing the other _Runners_ going to the kitchen to wait for Frypan to make their food. Minho and Alby were still in the _Glade_. Minho must have been instructing him on how to run and everything he would need to know while inside there. She prayed to god that nothing bad would happen, but she knew that praying probably wouldn't do anything to help.

…

She walked up the long stairs of the _Homestead_ and headed inside the first room on the right, slowly opening the door. She saw that the floor was covered within pieces of paper, scrunched up and filled with writing and that the figure in the room was ready to throw another one. Just as he threw it, Leo caught it in her hands with a smirk. She shut the door behind her, making Newt turn around to see her standing there, tossing the scrunched up piece of paper in her hands.

"Dropped something?" she asked with a smirk as she walked closer.

He rolled his eyes as he went back to looking at all the pieces of paper placed on top of the workbench. She chucked the paper down onto the ground as she walked over, wrapping her arms around his neck as she looked over his shoulder.

"What's bugging you?" she asked.

"The _Maps_," he said with a sigh. "Figuring out how there could be a dead _Griever_."

"And I assume you're coming up with nothing?"

"How could you guess?" he asked with a smirk.

"I don't think I need to answer that." She placed a gentle kiss on his neck, trying to relax him. "What's Thomas' job today?"

"_Track Hoes_. Working with you today."

"Ooh, fun," she said as she rolled her eyes. He chuckled as he turned around, placing a gentle kiss on her lips, making her want more. She pulled him closer as she deepened it, and she was ecstatic that he didn't pull away. She knew eventually though that she would have to pull away, and she did with a sigh. "Can't we just stay in here all day long?"

He smiled. "Wish I could, but you've got to be ready to run. And just 'cause the leader's gone, doesn't mean we can rest."

"But aren't you the leader for the day?" she asked.

"Still gotta follow the rules. Order never rests."

She looked down with a pout, but she knew she wouldn't have won anyway. There was no way, no matter if even she was the leader that the _Gladers_ would be able to rest. There was no rest for the slaves of the _Creators_.

She looked back up though with a smile as she intertwined her hands with Newt's, a warm feeling spreading across her body. "I love you," she whispered as she stared into his brown eyes.

The smile that formed on his face was one that was so rare that it made her heart flutter as the smile on her face grew even wider. "I love you too," he whispered as she stood on her tippy toes to kiss him. He helped her as he held onto her waist, not wanting to let her go.

"Hate to ruin this moment, but we've got to wake the _Greenie_ up," Newt said which made Leo groan.

…

The pair stood in front of the sleeping Thomas, watching as he seemed to be the most peaceful person in the entire _Glade_ as his face relaxed. Newt had allowed him to sleep in an extra hour after the wake up, but Thomas didn't even seem anywhere near waking up.

"Is he ever going to wake up?" Leo asked, hating having to stand there for so long.

"Maybe he's died from shock," Newt joked.

The two had been standing there for about ten minutes trying every possible way to wake him up, but nothing would work. Not even Leo screaming in his ear. Newt had resorted to endlessly poking him until finally Thomas stirred in his sleep, his eyes opening.

"Finally," Leo muttered.

"Get up, ya lug," Newt said.

"Yeah, good morning to you too," Thomas said with a groan. "What time is it?"

"Seven o'clock _Greenie_," Newt said with a mocking smile. "Figured I'd let ya sleep in after such a rough couple days."

Thomas pushed himself up to a sitting position, the glare in his eyes showed how much of a morning person he wasn't. But she completely understood why he wouldn't want to wake up the next morning after what had happened yesterday. She didn't want to either that morning.

"Sleep in? What are you guys, a bunch of farmers?" he asked.

"Some of us are," Leo said with a shrug.

"Yeah, now that you mention it," Newt said as he sat down next to Thomas, folding his legs underneath him.

"You'll get used to waking up early," Leo said. "It'll just take a few days."

"How does that work?" Thomas asked as he rubbed his eyes.

"I'm not sure, but I do know that it's your internal body clock and it will adjust to your new sleep schedule…Science thing."

Thomas just stared at her, almost as if he was in a trance with the knowledge she had. Newt didn't seem bothered by it, so Thomas just assumed it was normal behaviour from her.

Newt stared at the people in the _Glade_ who had now started working their usual jobs. During the _Gathering_, Alby had assigned the _Runners_ a job they had to do for that day instead of being in the _Maze_. It was funny watching them do the jobs that they weren't used to. Most of them were forced to work as _Sloppers_ as they weren't much good at anything else, so at least Emil and Chuck had some company for most of the day.

"Gonna put ya with the _Track Hoes _today, _Greenie_," Newt said. "See if that suits your fancy more than slicing up bloody piggies and such."

"Can we please not talk about that," Leo said as she felt a little nauseous at the mental image. Newt nodded, patting her on the back.

"Forgot about that."

"Aren't you supposed to quit calling me that?" Thomas asked.

"What, bloody piggies?"

Leo covered her mouth to try and keep her laugh hidden, mostly laughing at Thomas' annoyed glare. "Ha," he said as he rolled his eyes. "No, _Greenie_. I'm not really the newest Newbie anymore, right? The girl in the coma is. Call her _Greenie_ – my name's Thomas."

"Yeah, we know that. But she's not awake to hear us call her _Greenie_, so it's not the same," Leo said which also made Thomas annoyed.

"Burn me – you grew some right nice-sized eggs overnight, now didn't ya?"

Thomas ignored him as he went back to asking questions. "What's a _Track Hoe_?"

"It's what we call the guys working their butts off in the _Gardens_ – tiling, weeding, planting and such."

Thomas nodded. "Is he the _Keeper_?" he asked as he pointed at Leo.

"Please, too much responsibility. Besides, if I was, I wouldn't be an _Emergency Runner_," Leo said with a scoff.

"Zart's the _Keeper_. Nice guy, s'long as you don't slack on the job, that is. He's the big one that stood in front last night."

"So, why'd you two come wake me up?"

"What, don't like seeing my face first thing on the wake-up?"

"Not especially. So-" His voice was cut off by the loud sound of the walls rumbling as the _East Door_ was starting to open. She turned her head to see Minho doing his usual stretches, still giving a pep talk to Alby. She looked away though when she noticed him walking one step into the _Maze_ and picking something up.

She knew it had been the collar.

Thomas looked over at Newt and her, confusion written all over his face. "What the-"

"Only seen three _Banishments_, Tommy. All as nasty as the one you peeped on last night. But every bugging time the _Grievers_ leave the collar on our doorstep. Give me the willies like nothing else."

"There's no hope that he survived," Leo whispered to herself as she took a glance back at the _Doors_, but Thomas had managed to hear her.

"What do they do with people when they catch them?"

Newt shrugged, clearly not wanting to talk about the subject. Thomas, wanting an answer, looked over at Leo. She could feel his stare which made her sigh. "I don't know. I don't want to know."

"So, tell me about the _Runners_," Thomas said out of the blue, making Leo stiffen and Newt pause.

"The _Runners_?" Newt asked. "Why?"

"Just wondering."

Newt raised an eyebrow, suspicious of his sudden interest. "Best of the best, those guys. Have to be. Everything depends on them."

"They're our hope for survival," Leo said as she watched Newt pick up a rock, tossing it across the ground and watching it bounce.

"Why aren't you one?"

_Like he has the right to ask a question like that. Not every single person in the entire Glade wants to be a bloody Runner. Geez, Thomas. Even if it wasn't Newt I would want to pick your eyes out…_

"Leo, calm yourself," Newt said, taking her out of her unpleasant thoughts. She quickly noticed that she had been sending death glares at Thomas and she changed her expression, shaking her head. Thomas had no idea why she had suddenly changed, but he knew he didn't want to get on her bad side.

Newt looked back at Thomas, his emotions masked to hide what had really happened to him. "Was till I hurt my leg few months back. Hasn't been the bloody same since." He rubbed his right ankle, the pain showing in his eyes. Leo bent down next to him, giving him a small smile to try and help him.

"How'd you do it?" Thomas asked.

"Running from the bugging _Grievers_, what else? Almost got me." He paused, glancing over at Leo. If Thomas could see her face, he would know that he had just lied through his teeth. "Still gives me the chills thinking I might have gone through the _Changing_."

"What is that anyway? What changes? Does everyone go psycho like Ben and start trying to kill people?"

_This kid's getting on my last nerve…Now I see why Alby snapped at him._

"Ben was way worse than most. But I thought you wanted to talk about the _Runners_."

"Okay, I'm listening."

"Like I said, best of the best."

"So what do you do? Test everyone to see how fast they are?"

"Show me some smarts _Greenie_ – Tommy – whatever ya like. How fast you can bloody run is only part of it. A very small part, actually."

"What do you mean?"

"When I say best of the best, I mean at everything. To survive the bugging _Maze_, you gotta be smart, quick, strong. Gotta be a decision maker, know the right amount of risk to take. Can't be reckless, can't be timid either."

The more she thought about what the _Runners_ were, the more she realised how the description didn't fit her in the slightest. Sure she was fast, but she wasn't strong. She was smart, but more book smart than survival smart. She was too reckless with her decisions and she was terrified and would suffer attacks that made her almost immobile. How she had even become an _Emergency Runner_, she couldn't explain.

"It's bloody awful out there, ya know? I don't miss it."

"I thought the _Grievers_ only came out at night."

"Yeah, usually."

"I saw one. That's how Ben was stung. But it's very rare," Leo said as she crossed her legs.

"Then why is it so terrible out there?"

Newt sighed. "Pressure. Stress. _Maze_ pattern different every day, trying to picture things in your mind, trying to get us out of here. Worrying about the bloody Maps. Worst part, you're always scared you might not make it back. A normal maze'd be hard enough – but when it changes every night, couple of mental mistakes and you're spending the night with vicious beasts. No room or time for dummies or brats."

_And that could have been me… _

"Why all the interest?"

Thomas hesitated before he answered. "I want to be a_ Runner_."

"Haven't been here a week, _shank_. Little early for death wishes, don't ya think?"

"I'm serious."

"So am I. Forget it. No one's ever become a _Runner_ in their first month, much less their first week. Got a lot of proving to do before we'll recommend you to the _Keeper_."

"Newt, I mean it. I can't pull weeds all day – I'll go nuts. I don't have a clue what I did before they shipped me here in that metal box, but my gut tells me that being a _Runner_ is what I'm supposed to do. I can do it."

"No one said you couldn't. But give it a rest for now."

"But-"

"Listen, trust me on this, Tommy. Start stomping around this place yapping about how you're too good to work like a peasant, how you're all nice and ready to be a _Runner_ – you'll make plenty of enemies. Drop it for now."

"Fine, I'll talk to Minho about it."

Leo scoffed. "Yeah, good luck with that."

"The _Gathering_ elects _Runners_, and if you think I'm tough, they'd laugh in your face."

Thomas turned his attention to Leo. "Then how'd you become a _Runner_?"

"What's that supposed to mean? Don't think I can do it?" she asked, feeling quite offended as he hesitated before he answered. To say it didn't hurt her self-esteem, which was already quite low from Gally's constant name calling, would be a lie. It stung quite a bit.

"Nice going Tommy," Newt said as he shook his head.

Thomas didn't seem too bothered by it. "So, how?" he asked again.

"I was the one who saved Ben's life by disobeying the rules of the _Glade_ and running into the _Maze_. I would have been dead if it wasn't for Minho. I had to go through the _Gathering_, and even though I hated the idea of becoming a _Runner_, I was elected to become an _Emergency Runner _as I didn't have the stamina to run the entire Maze."

"So I have to run in and save someone's life to become one?" Thomas asked.

"Don't be stupid _shank_!" she said. "You need more than that! It's not just if you're stupid enough to go in without even knowing the dangers! You need to be good at it, to be smart and strong. Brave-"

"Well for all you guys know, I could be really good at it. And I actually want to do it. It's a waste of time to make me wait," he interrupted as he stood up.

Newt stood up to join him, pointing a finger straight in his face. "You listen to me, _Greenie_. You listening all nice and pretty?"

Thomas rolled his eyes, clearly not intimidated by Newt's actions.

"You better stop this nonsense, before the others hear about it. That's not how it works around here, and our whole existence depends on things working."

He paused, waiting for Thomas to interrupt like he did with Leo, but he didn't say a word.

"Order," he continued. "Order. You say that bloody word over and over in your shuck head. Reason we're all sane around here is 'cause we work our butts off and maintain order. Order's the reason we put Ben out – can't very well have loonies running around trying to kill people, now can we? Order. Last thing we need is you screwing it up."

"But he screwed up the rules-" Thomas said, gesturing to Leo.

"And he got punished for it. Actions come with consequences _Greenie_. Got that?"

The look on Thomas' face meant that he had finally gotten the message. The message to keep his mouth shut. "Yeah."

Newt slapped him on the back. "Let's make a deal."

"What?"

"You keep your mouth shut about it and I'll put you on the list of potential trainees as soon as you show some clout. Don't keep your trap shut, and I'll bloody make sure ya never see it happen. Deal?"

"That's a sucky deal."

Newt raised his eyebrows. "It's the best you're gonna get," Leo said.

Thomas sighed, giving a nod. "Deal."

"Come on, let's get us some grub from Frypan. And hope we don't bloody choke."

Thomas' eyes widened, which made Leo laugh. "He's only joking…Sort of."

…

After receiving their breakfast from Frypan - which consisted of eggs and pieces of fruit for her – they had all sat down at a table as they watched the others head over to the _West Door_. She picked at her food with the fork, not really in the mood to eat knowing what could happen to them. Having a dead _Griever_ seemed way too easy, and it made her stomach crawl thinking that the _Creators_ could just be playing a trick on them.

"What's going on?" Thomas asked as he watched the boys leaving the room.

Newt shrugged, digging into the eggs on his plate. "Just seeing off Minho and Alby – they're going to look at the bugging dead _Griever_."

"Hey," Chuck said, a small piece of bacon flying from his mouth as he spoke.

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Leo said as she moved away from the piece of bacon, sitting closer to Newt to avoid looking at the meat.

Chuck pouted, swallowing the food in his mouth. "I've got a question about that."

"Yeah, Chuckie?" Newt asked. "And what's your bloody question?"

"Well, they found a dead _Griever_, right?"

"Yeah. Thanks for that bit of news."

"Well, then who killed the stupid thing?" Chuck finished, leaving the whole table in silence.

_And that's what worries me…_

…

"Guess what Thomas, you're working with me today," Leo said, giving him a pat on the back as she pushed him towards the _Gardens_. It had been half an hour since Minho and Alby had gone into the _Maze_, and Thomas was way more interested in standing near the _Doors_ than working in the _Gardens_.

She had recently introduced him to Zart who had given him instructions on what job he should do. And because of his uninterest in the job, Leo had been assigned to make sure he actually did the work given.

"This is tiring…And boring," Thomas muttered as he pulled up a weed.

"Well, it's not really. Least it distracts you from the horrid reality of the _Glade_," she said as she shovelled the dirt out of the ground to plant more vegetables.

"For you maybe. But…" He glanced over at the Walls, staring down the dark corridor that led to the _Maze_. "What's it like to run the _Maze_?"

Startled by the question, she stopped shovelling dirt which caused her to accidentally drop some on one of the _Glader_'s heads. He didn't say anything though as he knew the _Greenie_ had said something stupid.

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"What's it like to be a _Runner_?" he asked, intrigued to know the answer. He was very hopeful of the answer.

"Thomas, I thought Newt said to drop it."

"I know, but I want – need to know. What's it like?"

Leo sighed, knowing there was no way she was getting out of the question. She sighed as she sat down on the ground, stabbing the shovel down into the ground. "It's…_interesting_."

"_Interesting_? In what way?"

"At first, it may feel like one of the best jobs in the bloody world. You get to run. Explore. You feel like you're on top of the world. Then…" She paused. "Then it crashes down when you realise that you're not. You're on the bottom of the food chain. Danger lurking at every corner. Terrified you won't make it back before the _Doors_ shut…It's not great…And running the same patterns is not exciting. It's tiring, like a chore. A chore that could kill you if you make the wrong turn."

"But-"

"Take it from both me and Newt. If I gave it up, I wouldn't miss it. It's not the type of job anybody wants to have. They do it 'cause they have to. Nobody enjoys running that _Maze_."

She stood back up as she picked up the shovel, not bothering to dust off her clothes as she started shovelling dirt once again. "Get back to work Thomas. Staring at the _Maze_ ain't gonna get you in there."

Thomas stared at the _Maze Doors_, wondering how bad the _Maze_ could really be. But it didn't give his mind any doubt about running. He wanted to be a Runner. He needed to be.

…

_2 hours. 10 minutes._

Newt sat down alone, ignoring everyone in the _Glade_. His eyes were bloodshot, chewing on his fingernails as terror sank into his mind. Leo slowly walked over to him, ignoring the stares from both Thomas and Chuck.

There were only three hours before the _Doors_ would close and they weren't back yet. Only ten minutes before she would have to go into the _Maze_ to search for them.

"Newt, are you okay?" she asked as she sat down next to him, placing her hand gently on his shoulder. "Do you need anything?"

"I'm fine."

"And why don't I believe you?"

He continued to stare at the _Doors_, not saying anything.

She sighed, running a hand through her wig. "I know how stressed you must be. Dealing with Thomas, the girl, Alby and Minho in the _Maze_, me…You must be tired."

He shook his head, finally turning his attention away from the _Doors_ and to her. "You don't bother me."

"Maybe not now, but I did. The note, the threats. Any kind of pressure is affecting you, and not in a good way…I'm sorry…I'm sorry for anything I've done, intentional or not. Don't forget, you're not the only one who's worried about them. We're all worried."

He smiled a little, making her smile. "Thanks," he said.

She softly rubbed his back. "No problem."

"_What's wrong with him?" _Chuck whispered to Thomas, but it wasn't very discrete as the two could hear him very clearly. "_Looks like you did when you popped out of the Box."_

"_I don't know. Why don't you go ask him?" _Thomas asked.

"I can hear every bloody word you guys are saying," Newt called, startling the two. "No wonder people hate sleeping next to you shanks."

"What is wrong with you?" Chuck asked. "No offense, but you look like klunk."

"Every loving things in the universe." He feel silent, staring off into space. It made Leo's heart ache to see him this way. "The girl from the _Box_. Keeps groaning and saying all kinds of weird stuff, but won't wake up. _Med Jacks_'re doing their best to feed her, but she's eating less each time. I'm telling ya, something's very bad about that whole bloody thing."

He noticed their glance and knew the gig was up. "_Shuck_ it. But that's not what really has me bugging."

"Then what does?" Chuck asked.

"Alby and Minho, they should've come back hours ago."

_2 hours. 5 minutes._

"We'll find them. We're going to bring them back," Leo said as she stood up, dusting herself off as she checked her watch. "I'll bring them back."

"What do you mean?" Chuck asked.

"I've got to go in. All the _Runners_ do." She reached over to Chuck and rustled his hair. "We'll find them and bring them back. I promise."

"You're going in? Now?" Thomas asked.

"No, you can't join. Don't even think about it _Greenie_," she said with a glare.

"Aren't you scared?" Chuck asked, which made her laugh.

"Bloody terrified. But that isn't going to stop me from trying to help. It's my job…I'll see you guys in a few hours." She glanced over at Newt, bending down once more with a smile on her face. "They'll be back soon. Don't worry."

She quickly stood back up as she walked over the _Doors_, seeing the other Runners walking over to join her. She glanced down at her watch once more.

_2 hours. 1 minute. _

She took deep breaths before she took step into the _Maze_, bolting into a sprint as she ran.

Newt had a smile on his face as he watched her form disappear. "Tommy, that's what makes a _Runner_. Though you may be terrified, you're brave enough to face it and run. That's what I need to see from you."

…

She ran down the corridor, taking the _Sections_ 6 and 8. As Minho and Alby hadn't told them which _Section_ the dead _Griever_ was located in, all the _Runners_ had opted to take certain _Sections_ to check. She knew that taking two _Sections_ would be risky, but the other _Runners_ had agreed that her speed would help find them faster, which is way she had taken two _Sections_.

_43 minutes. _

_Section_ 6 had nothing unusual. It was deadly silent, the only sound being her feet as they hit the concrete. It had taken her an hour to run the entire _Section_, and she knew the affect it had on her was bad. She felt her heart rate increasing as sweat dripped down her forehead. She found it hard to breathe as the side of her stomach ached with every step and breath she took.

She kept pushing though until she reached _Section_ 8\. Minho's usual _Section_. She leaned against the walls as she pushed herself along, passing each corner as she looked for any kind of sign of them. Finally, she noticed the chopped vines on the ground, knowing that they had gone this way.

But, the vines stopped. Scratch marks on the wall had replaced them.

_The dead Griever. This must have been where it was located._

She bent down, looking for anything, but the _Griever_ was clearly not there or anywhere around the area. There was no way that the two of them could have moved the body as it would have been too heavy. It also would have been too dangerous as any accidental move could have resulted in one of them being stung.

Had the _Griever_ not actually been dead and it had just been playing with them? Had it attacked them? Where had it gone?

And then she realised. One of them had been attacked. One of them could have been stung. That's what was taking them so long. She took second to breathe before she bolted back into a sprint, ignoring the pain in her legs and feet as they slammed against the concrete.

She felt like she was going to pass out at any second, but she continued to run. She had to find them. She had to. Everything depended on finding them and bringing them back to the _Glade_.

_21 minutes._

She glanced down at her watch, panic filling her as her head started spinning. She only had 20 minutes left before the _Doors_ would close. If she didn't find them now, there was no way she would make it back to the _Glade_. She didn't even know if she would have the energy to make it back without them.

"_C'mon Alby, we gotta make it," _a voice called out, raspy and tired. She gasped, feeling a smile make its way to her face. She pushed herself towards the voice, taking many sharp turns to try and reach him.

"_Get up! We've got 20 minutes left! C'mon!"_

She took the next corner and saw Minho standing there, red faced and puffing. Alby was sitting down against the wall, sweating and looking very pale. She knew at that moment that Alby had been stung.

"Minho!" she yelled as she ran over, almost collapsing onto him.

"Why are you here? You should be back in there by now!"

"Does that matter right now?! Alby's stung!"

Minho quickly glanced at Alby before shaking his head. "We've got to get him back…Grab his right arm. I'll take the left," he said as he grabbed hold of Alby's left arm, lifting him up off the ground. Leo quickly moved her and grabbed the right arm, lifting him up as well.

"Is he going to be okay? How long since he's been stung?"

"Few hours. We won't know 'less we get the _Serum_."

"Hours? How-"

"Move!" Minho shouted as he started moving. Leo stumbled, but she quickly regained herself as she followed right beside him. She quickly felt his weight increasing as his body became limper, dragging the two of them down.

The sun was quickly going down as night started to fall over them.

_10 minutes._

"Right!" Minho shouted. "Left!"

Leo's eyes blurred as she felt the sweat dripping down into her eyes. She stumbled quite a few times from not only the weight of Alby's body, but also from how faint she felt from the amount of running she had done. Her legs felt like they were on fire as her feet felt like she was walking on glass.

_5 minutes._

She felt her legs give out as she fell to the ground, slamming her body down onto the concrete. Luckily she had let go of Alby just in time so she didn't drag the other two down with her.

"Bloody _shucking_ hell!" she cursed as she felt her body aching.

"You alright?" Minho asked as she pushed herself back up to stand.

"I'm fine," she said. "Let's go." She started moving again but she felt her foot get caught on something and she fell to the ground again. "Bloody hell!" She looked down and saw that she had tripped over the metal pole that she had used to attack the _Griever_.

_What a shucking coincidence._

"Quick!" Minho shouted as she pushed herself back up, grabbing hold of Alby's arm as the two started walking again. Both of them felt like they're bodies were going to fail them as they tried to run, but they knew that they would collapse if they did.

_2 minutes._

"Come on! We can do it!" she yelled as she pushed herself forward. Alby's limp body was becoming too much for either of them to handle as she felt like her arms were going to fall out of her sockets. They turned the corridor and saw Thomas standing right at the edge of the _Glade_, staring straight at them.

"They got him!" Minho shouted, his voice getting weaker and weaker. Each step the two of them made was absolute agony. They both knew that they were going to collapse at any second.

"Newt!" Thomas shouted. "They're coming! I can see 'em!"

_45 seconds._

Somehow, Alby slipped from Minho's grasp and it dragged Leo down with them, making her kneel down on the ground. "_Sh_uck," he growled as he tried to regain his grip on Alby. Leo struggled to push herself back up to standing, her legs shaking.

"Dammit!" Minho screamed as he gave up carrying him, starting to drag Alby across the floor. Leo knew she couldn't last any longer and started doing the same. They were so close to the _Glade_. So close, but yet so far.

_32 seconds._

"We're not gonna make it," Minho cried, sweat dripping from his forehead.

"We're gonna make it!" Leo shouted back.

"Don't do it, Tommy!" Newt screamed. "Don't you bloody do it!"

_21 seconds._

The sound of the Doors closing made her push herself even harder. But even she knew, no matter how hard she tried, that the three of them weren't going to make it. Tears poured from her green eyes as she knew her fate was sealed. She was to going to die that night. Die a painful, slow and gruesome death.

_9 seconds._

Five feet away. Four feet away. Three. Two.

She saw Thomas start to move and she started to scream. "Thomas! Don't do it! Don't you shucking do it!"

_3 seconds._

He didn't listen though as he ran forward, squeezing between the two _Doors_.

_2 seconds. _

They were going to squeeze him into a thousand pieces, but he continued to push through until he was one step away.

_1 second._

The _Doors_ slammed shut as Thomas stepped into the _Maze_, the echo of the loud boom making everything seem more real. The vision of her death became a sudden reality as she collapsed onto the ground, sobbing into her hands.

_0\. BEEP, BEEP, BEEP._

She screamed as the beeping on her watch continued, indicating the shut _Doors_. Neither of the two looked at her as she continued to scream and cry, knowing that the four of them were all going to die.

They were stuck inside the _Maze_. And there was no way they would survive…


	19. Chapter Nineteen

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own The Maze Runner nor any of the characters from it.

* * *

**CHAPTER NINETEEN:**

"No One Survives A Night in the Maze…"

* * *

Day Sixty-Four – Part Two – The Maze

Thomas leaned against the wall, filled with terror as he watched Leo break down into sobs and screams. She felt like screaming at him for not only coming into the _Maze_ and breaking the Number One Rule, but also for basically giving himself a death wish and killing himself. Maybe if he had run in as soon as he saw them instead of waiting until the last second, they all might have gotten out alive. Alby might have been saved.

Then she wouldn't have been so angry.

But, of course, nothing ever goes the way she planned.

Alby cried out in pain as the side effects started kicking in, shooting pain all the way up his body. Minho moaned as he pulled himself up, his legs tired and the stitch in his side making it hard to breathe. He looked terrible.

She held onto her chest as she tried pushing herself off the ground, but her body was shaking so much that she just felt back down to the ground. She was panicking once again, knowing death was well upon them. She felt her head pounding, giving her one of the biggest migraines she had ever had in her entire life. The tears still poured down her cheeks as her breaths were fast and short, making her feel light headed.

Thomas rushed over to Alby, noticing how his condition worsened with each passing second. All three of them knew there was no way Alby was going to survive the night, regardless of the _Grievers_.

"_Greenie_," Minho said. "If you think that was brave coming out here, listen up. You're the _shuckiest shuck_-faced _shuck_ there ever was. You're as good as dead, just like us."

"I couldn't just sit there and leave you guys out here."

_Then why didn't you run out as soon as you saw us_, she thought. She wanted to say it aloud, but she couldn't form the words as she continued to sob.

"And what good are you with us?" Minho rolled his eyes. "Whatever, dude. Break the Number One Rule, kill yourself, whatever."

"You're welcome. I was trying to help."

Minho gave a bitter laugh as he kneeled down next to Alby. He was on the verge of death, and the only cure was on the other side of the _Doors_.

"What happened?" Thomas asked, staring down at Alby.

"Don't wanna talk about it," he said, bending over to try and listen for Alby's heartbeat. "Let's just say the _Grievers_ can play dead really well."

Leo crawled over to the other side of the corridor, leaning her weakened body up against the wall as she covered her mouth to hide her loud screams and cries. Neither Minho nor Thomas seemed aware that she existed at that moment.

"So he was…bitten? _Stung_, whatever? Is he going through the _Changing_?"

"You've got a lot to learn," Minho said, shaking his head at the mention of the word "bitten".

"Is he going to die?"

"Since we didn't make it back before sunset, probably. Could be dead in an hour – I don't know how long it takes if you don't get the _Serum_. Course, we'll be dead too, so don't get all weepy for him. Yep, we'll all be nice and dead soon."

"We're really going to die? You're telling me we have no chance?"

"None," he replied.

"Oh, come on – there has to be something we can do. How many _Grievers_'ll come at us?" He looked down the corridor.

"I don't know," Minho said.

"But…what about Ben? And Gally, and the others who've been stung and survived?"

"Didn't you hear me? They made it back before sunset, you dong. Made it back and got the _Serum_. All of them."

"But I thought the _Grievers _only came out at night."

_Didn't even bother to listen to us…Even after we explained to him…_

"Then you were wrong, _shank_. They always come out at night. That doesn't mean they never show up during the day."

"Has anyone ever been caught outside the walls at night and lived through it?"

"Never."

"How many have died, then?"

"At least twelve. Haven't you been to the graveyard?"

"Yeah."

_Where we got attacked by Ben…_

"Well, those are just the ones we found. There are more whose bodies never showed up. That freaking graveyard's back in the woods for a reason. Nothing kills happy time more than being reminded of your slaughtered friends every day."

Minho stood up as he grabbed hold of Alby's arms, nodding towards his feet. "Grab those smelly suckers. We gotta carry him over to the _Door_. Give 'em one body that's easy to find in the morning."

"How can this be happening?!" Thomas screamed towards the walls, turning around in a circle as his voice echoed.

_Oh yes, attract the Grievers. That'll help us._

"How can you guys be so calm about this?"

"You should take a glance over there and ask that question again," Minho pointed out. Thomas turned and finally noticed that Leo was still having her panic attack. She couldn't look them in the eyes. She didn't know how she was going to recover, she felt like she was going to die just from panicking.

"Is he alright?" Thomas asked, taking a step closer.

"What do you think _shuck_-face? Of course not. But the only person that can help him is on the other side of that _shucking_ _Door._ Now come on, grab his legs."

Thomas finally walked over and lifted Alby's feet. They carried his limp body a few meters or so till they reached the crack in the _Door_. Minho popped Alby up against the wall, making him slouch. Minho quickly made his way over to Leo where he helped her shaking form stand, providing his shoulder for her to lean on. He started walking, helping Leo in any way he could to go back to normal, but he knew there was no chance without Newt's help.

"Where was he bitten?" Thomas asked as they reached him. "Can you see it?"

Minho glared at him, and Leo raised her head, glaring at Thomas with her bloodshot eyes.

"They don't freaking bite you. They prick you. And no, you can't see it. There could be dozens all over his body."

"Prick you? What does that mean?"

"Dude, you just have to see them to know what I'm talking about."

"Well, why didn't the thing prick you?" Thomas asked as he pointed at Minho's arms.

"Maybe it did – maybe I'll collapse any second."

"P-Please, don't make it any worse," Leo finally stuttered out, chocking on her sobs as she slowly took deep breaths, trying to ignore her surroundings.

"Sorry," he muttered.

"They…" Thomas started.

"There was no they, just the one we thought we dead. It went nuts and stung Alby, but then ran away."

"B-But, why would the _Griever_ try and trick you guys?" she asked.

"No _shucking_ clue. But it did, and that's what cost us."

He turned his head and glanced at the _Maze_, which was now covered in darkness from the night. "But I'm sure it and a whole bunch of them suckers'll be back here soon to finish us off with their needles."

"Needles?" Thomas asked.

"That's how they sting you," Leo said.

"Can't we climb this thing?" he asked, staring up at the enormous walls. Minho said nothing, neither did Leo. "The vines – can't we climb them?"

Minho let out a frustrated sigh. "I swear, _Greenie_, you must think we're a bunch of idiots. You really think we've never had the ingenious thought of climbing the freaking walls?"

"I'm just trying to help, man. Why don't you quit moping at very word I say and talk to me?"

Thomas' eyes widened when he felt Minho grab hold of his shirt. "You don't understand, _shuck_-face!" Minho yelled. "You don't know anything, and you're just making it worse by trying to have hope! We're dead, you hear me? Dead!"

"How is this going to help us?!" Leo shouted, her throat raw. "This, this isn't helping. Being at each other's throats, that's just gonna get us killed faster!"

Minho stared at her, the shame quickly washing over him. He backed away as he let go of Thomas, crumbling down to the ground. "Ah man, oh man," he whispered, burying his face in his fists. "I've never been this scared before, dude. Not like this."

"I'm bloody scared too _shuck_-face! God, we're gonna die out here and there's nothing we can do! _Nothing_!" she screamed as she slammed her hand against the wall, sinking down and crying once again.

Thomas opened his mouth, trying to form the right words to say, but a noise quickly cut him off. Minho popped his head up and Leo quickly rose to her feet, stumbling as her back collided with the wall.

It was the _Griever_'s whirring sound, the sound of its sharp knives rubbing together. It was getting louder and louder by the second, the creature coming closer with its series of clicks. A hollow moan; the sound of chains; sending shivers down her spine as she found it hard to breathe. She felt like ice was running through her vines as she froze.

Minho stood, his eyes wide with terror. "We have to split up – it's our only chance. Just keeping moving. Don't stop moving!" He suddenly took off into a run, disappearing into the darkness.

"Minho!" she screamed, but he was already gone. "He just left us! That bastard! He just left us with a bunch of _Grievers_! He left us!" she screamed over and over.

"Leo!" Thomas shouted as he grabbed hold of her shoulder, shaking her. He used one of his hands to cover her mouth to keep her quiet. She now heard the sounds getting even louder than before, the smell of burning flesh filling her nose. She quickly tossed his hand away as she started to gag, bending over in case she needed to be sick.

He quickly grabbed hold of her again and made her face him. "You've got to help me."

"B-But how, they're getting closer," she stuttered, feeling her heart beat even faster at the thought of encountering one of them.

"You've got to calm down."

"Saying 'calm down' does not help me calm down!" she shouted.

He turned back to face Alby, walking over to him. He checked for a pulse and quickly found one. He reached down, grabbing both of Alby's arms as he squatted down, wrapping his arms around his neck from behind. He pulled Alby's limp body onto his neck, pushing his legs.

And of course, he fell flat on his face. Alby sprawled out to the side with a loud thud, making Leo wince at the sound. She looked down at her shaking arms, having no idea how she would be able to help him. She looked down the corridor and then back to Thomas.

He was now dragging Alby across the ground by his hands, getting him about two meters before Thomas dropped him back down, placing him back onto the crack to the entrance to the _Glade_.

Even though she was scared out of her mind, she knew she had to help.

"N-Need some help?" she asked, rubbing her arms to keep them warm.

"Are you gonna run off too?" he asked. She shook her head as she looked down the corridor. "Why?"

"I-I don't know my way through the _Maze_. I haven't memorised it like the others. And, I wouldn't make it a second out there alone."

He nodded, a small smile making its way onto his face. "Help me out here," he said. He stared at the walls, a lightbulb seeming to pop over his head. "I've got an idea."

He strode over to a thick path of vines, picking one of them up as he wrapped his hand around it. He pulled on it, watching as the vine detached itself from the wall. He moved back as he watched it fall into the darkness.

"What's this idea?" she asked, checking around the corners to make sure no Grievers were coming.

Thomas pulled hard on the vine with all his strength, the ivy holding its place against the wall. He yanked it again and again, pulling with both of his hands. His feet were lifted off the ground as he hung onto the vine, swinging.

And somehow, the vine held.

"I'm getting there," he replied, continuing to test out his theory.

He grabbed hold of the other vines, ripping them off the wall and making them into something that would be similar to a rope used for rock climbing. He tested out each rope, and they all ended up being as strong as the other. With that in mind, he went back over to Alby and dragged him over to the vines.

"What are you doing?" she asked, but there was no response from Thomas.

A sharp crack came from inside the _Maze_, followed by the sound of crumbling metal. Her hands started shaking again as she felt like the walls were going to close in on her. She felt cold, like she was frozen solid. But she also felt like her face was numb, like someone was stabbing her with pins and needles.

"Whatever you're doing, please, do it fast!" she cried out, hoping to god that she wouldn't be snatched off the ground while he worked his plan.

He grabbed hold of one of the vines as he wrapped it around Alby's right arm. After completing several wraps, he tied the vine off as he took another vine. He wrapped that around his left arm, then repeated the process for both of his legs.

He snatched a vine with both hands and started to climb, directly over the spot where he had Alby tied. The cracks in the walls seemed almost perfect as he placed his feet in them to help him climb. Once he reached a couple of meters above Alby, he wrapped a vine around his chest, letting himself sag. He let go with his hands, but kept his feet planted inside one of the cracks.

The vine held.

"H-How am I…?" she trailed off, hearing the sounds getting closer. She felt like her heart was going to explode out of her chest. Her breaths became shallow as she kept looking around the corners.

He continued to pull Alby up with the vines, letting go after a few pulls as the weight became too much for him to handle. He climbed back down to the _Maze_ floor, pushing Alby a couple more meters up. He hung on those vines, almost lifeless.

The noises from the _Maze_ kept getting louder and louder, red lights flashing from the left corner.

"_Shuck, shuck, shuck_," Leo repeated over and over as she tried to breathe, her breaths become shallow as her heart continued to increase in speed. She felt like she was going to be sick as she thought of the _Grievers_ coming for them.

Thomas continued to push Alby up the stone wall, then climbing up himself. While he climbed, he continued pushing Alby up until his body couldn't handle anymore. He was nine meters of the ground before he gave up.

She looked around, trying to find somewhere for her to hide. She knew there was no way she would be able to climb those vines in time before the _Grievers_ came, and she knew with her shaking hands there would be no way even if she did have the time. Lucky for her, she noticed a whole pile of cut ivy right next to the wall. It covered a lot of the ground next to the edge of the wall, which could give her a good hiding spot.

She took one more glance before she took one deep breath as she crawled onto the ground, using her speed to her benefit as she pushed them out of her way. She pushed her back against the wall as she used the ivy and covered her entire body and a lot of the area around her so it didn't look too suspicious. But being hidden didn't help her panicking. But it did help from her body giving out and collapsing as she was already on the ground.

A few minutes had passed before she saw a glimmer of light passing by. It had only been an hour since the _Doors_ had locked them out, and the constant noises keeping on her edge had made her feel like it had been a lifetime.

There was a bright, red light that flashed from her left, making her cover her hand to keep herself quiet. She could tell that there was a _Beetle Blade _on the wall, probably right next to Thomas from the sharp intake of breath be took. The light increased and got brighter, meaning that the _Beetle Blade _was crawling down on the wall as it jumped down right in front of her.

Tears filled with her eyes as they stung from the bright light, staring at the metal _Beetle_ straight in the face. Anger filled her veins, knowing that the _Creators_ were watching both her and Thomas suffering in fear from the _Maze_. They were watching like sadistic people, enjoying the sight of them in pain. Were they going to watch them die?

**WICKED**

That name was plastered onto the _Beetle Blade_'s body, written in a substance that seemed to similar to blood. It wouldn't surprise her though. With a click and a clack, the _Beetle_ turned away and disappeared back inside the ivy above her.

A mechanical squeal came from inside the _Maze_, and she knew that that was the sound of a _Griever_ approaching. She heard it rounding the corner as it came down the corridor. Zigzagging down the path, casting a horrible shaped shadow across the ground.

She took her other hand and wrapped it around her mouth which was already covered with the other, blocking out the sounds of her shallow breathing, her sobs and the gagging from the smell of burning flesh. She tried her hardest to remain still, almost like a dead body.

_whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrr _

_click-click-click_

She closed her eyes, not wanting to watch as it would come closer and closer to the wall where she lay. It passed her quickly, stopping at the closed _Doors_ that led to the _Glade_. It paused before it turned back around, rolling towards her again.

_whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrr _

_click-click-click_

It paused again before it rolled. But the time, it stood right in front of the patch of ivy Leo was lying under. She could see though the ivy at its horrific slimy body, the smell burning her nose and making her eyes water even more. She felt her stomach churning, but she kept her hands over to mouth to keep the vomit down.

The light blinded her as the _Griever_ stopped, planning out its next path.

Then, the lights suddenly went out.

It was pitch black, the _Griever_ not moving or making a single sound. She was trapped in the darkness with the horrid creature sitting right in front of her. She needed to breathe, but she didn't know if she could without waking it. Her entire body seemed to be covered with sweat, her clothes seeming to stick to her skin as she suddenly became hotter, though her veins still felt like ice was flowing through them.

Seconds passed. Minutes. She didn't know how much longer she could last without crying out. If it was just going to sit there all night and then attack right before the _Doors_ opened, she would much rather it kill her now and put her out of her misery. Is this what Alby and Minho had witnessed with the "dead _Griever_". Was this it playing dead?

Then, the lights came back. The _Griever_ sprung back to life as it moaned. She opened her eyes, only to see darkness in front of her. It had gone. But when she saw bright lights above her, she knew that it hadn't left.

It was climbing up the wall.

She quickly took as many breaths she could before it would come back down, feeling herself become less light-headed as the oxygen came back into her lungs. She felt the vines above her moving as they rubbed against the wall. She then heard a small thud against the wall, and she assumed that it was Thomas' feet as he tried to climb back down.

Then, that small thud was replaced by a loud one as Thomas slammed into the wall, losing his grip on the vines. All she could hear was his struggles as he kicked the _Griever_'s right leg.

He landed on the ground and immediately started running down the corridor and into the _Maze_. Forgetting all about being silent, she screamed when the _Griever_ landed right in front of her, but it ignored her as it followed Thomas around the corner.

She quickly rolled out from underneath the ivy, not bothering to get rid of any that might have been attached to her clothes or hair before she took off into a sprint. She knew it would have been smart to just remain hiding, but she knew that her body wouldn't have been able to last and she would have been better to keep moving.

And if she panicked, she knew she would survive more if she ran instead of hid.

As she ran she saw the metal pole lying against the wall right before the corner, shining in the darkness like a knife. Without thinking, she picked it up as she slid around the corner, running as fast as her legs would allow.

Right. Left. Straight. Right. Left. Right. Left. Left. Straight.

She followed the _Griever_ as it continued to travel, listening to its moans as it followed after Thomas.

As she turned the corner she saw the _Griever_ moving right in front of her. She quickly slammed one end of the pole into the ground, pushing onto it as she lifted herself. She screamed as her feet left the floor as she flung herself through the hair, soaring straight over the _Griever_'s head. As she did, she swung her pole and smacked it straight in the head, stunning it for just a second.

As she saw the ground getting closer and closer, she closed her eyes as she rolled herself into a ball, rolling across the ground before she was able to push herself to her feet. She looked back, then down at the pole. She had no idea where she got the idea from or even how she was able to launch herself, but her questions were cut short when she noticed Thomas staring at three _Grievers_ that were coming straight for them.

She turned her head and saw the _Griever_ from behind lunge, raising its claws and needles.

"Leo!" Thomas screamed.

She screeched as she closed her eyes…


	20. Chapter Twenty

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own The Maze Runner nor any of the characters from it.

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY:**

Grievers At Every Turn…

* * *

Day Sixty-Four – Part Three – The Maze

She screamed as she felt one of its claw grab hold of her neck, ready to suck her entire body down its mouth and devour her. She coughed and sputtered as its grip start to cut off her air supply as it lifted her body off the ground. It slowly moved its way from her neck up towards her wig. It almost made her more scared when it reached the pins that stuck the wig to her hair.

She screamed even louder as she felt the pins being ripped out of her wig, scrapping across her neck and cutting deep into the skin like a steel knife. The wig flew across the corridor, along with the pins as they clattered onto the floor.

The _Griever _tossed her, making her slam her body down onto the ground, causing her more agony than before. She clasped at her neck as she whimpered, the pain clouding her mind and making her forget about the other person standing there in shock. The _Griever_ picked her up once again, but this by her arm and lifted her off the ground. It hovered her right over its face, and she took a deep breath as she closed her eyes. She screamed and kicked, trying to escape its death grip, but nothing she did worked.

A metal clink made her open her eyes as she felt herself falling. The _Griever_, who had been stung by the metal pole that Thomas had used, had been stung and thus dropped her onto the ground.

She groaned as she lay on the ground once again, trying to stumble back to her feet as the pain racked through her body. Thomas stood right in front of her, obviously stunned by the sudden appearance of her long hair. But once he heard the _Griever_ moan, none of that mattered as he grabbed her arm and dragged her over to the _Griever_ they had previously attacked instead of going towards the other three. The _Griever_ stared at them and retracted, almost in shock at the sudden attack. But it quickly regained itself as it rolled forward, spikes ready to collide with them.

But the two kept running. Thomas had let go of her arm and dove to the right, planting his left foot into the ground. She was stunned for a second before she realised that the _Griever_ had gone straight past him, but was still charging for her. She thought back to her previous attack on the _Griever_ and took a deep breath before she smashed the pole down into the ground, launching herself over to her right as her feet slammed down on the ground right next to Thomas, startling him for a split second.

They both watched as the _Griever_ zoomed past before it shuddered to a halt before it moved a lot faster. It howled as it readied itself to pounce on the two of them.

Thomas quickly scrambled to his feet as he sprinted forward. Leo ignored her aching feet as she bolted straight after him, her heart beating faster than she ever could have imagined. But she didn't seem panicked. Sure she felt sick from all that running and her head was pounding, but she felt like she was breathing normally as the sweat dropped down her forehead.

They quickly reached around the corner to catch their breath, and only then did Thomas show how amazed and shocked he was over the long, beautiful hair that had been previously covered.

"You're a girl?!" he yelled out. Having the long hair frame her face clearly showed her feminine her features really were. Sure everyone had claimed she was pretty, but for a boy. He was almost smittened with her new appearance, but he quickly remembered how attractive the girl in the coma was, and that thought was quickly shoved out of his mind.

"Shh," she whispered, putting a hand up to her lips to keep him quiet. "Can we please discuss this after we survive first?"

At that moment, she was way more worried about surviving than her secret being revealed. She really couldn't care less at that moment as she grabbed his arm, dragging him as they started running.

She knew that after tonight, if they even survived, the two would have to have a very serious discussion with Newt about what was going to happen.

They ran down for three corridors until they felt a pair of hands grab hold of them, yanking them down the hallway. She was about to scream but a hand covered her mouth before she could. He was about to curse at her to remain quiet, but he stopped himself once he noticed her hair as he stared.

"Holy _shuck_," he whispered.

Leo tried to protest, to yell at him to keep his mouth shut, but her mouth was still covered by his sweaty hand. He noticed her muffled yells and quickly removed his hand, wiping it across his pants. "We're discussing this later, _shank_," he whispered into her ear and she nodded.

"What-?" Thomas started.

"Shut up and follow me!"

He quickly took the lead as he started running, the two having no choice but to follow behind him, knowing the _Grievers_ would be hot on their trail otherwise. Somehow Minho knew exactly where he was going even in the darkness of the night. As they rounded the corner, Minho tried to speak as they continued to run.

"So…you're a girl?" he asked in-between breaths.

"I thought…we we're gonna…talk about this later?" Leo asked with a glare as she struggled to speak. She knew she wasn't able to handle both running and talking at the same time as it took too much oxygen away from her lungs.

"Guys…what's our plan?" Thomas asked.

"Right…I just saw…the dive move you did…back there…gave me an idea…we only have to last…a little while longer."

The _Grievers_ started gaining on them at an alarming rate, their speed seemed to be increasing with every step. As she kept running, she felt like she was going to collapse as her legs shook. Her feet were burning, her arms and back screaming out in pain from being dropped. Her neck and her scalp burning like a knife that had cut through her skin.

And even with the lack of air, she still continued to run.

A few turns later, there was something that seemed very strange about the corridor that they happened to be running down. The light from the _Grievers_ proved that point as the corridor didn't end in the usual stone wall.

It ended only in darkness.

She looked up at the sky and saw that again there were no stars in the sky. She wondered how that could have been possible considering they were in the middle of nowhere, but she couldn't fully question it at that moment.

"Don't get excited," Minho said to Thomas as they moved closer to the darkness. It must have crossed though Thomas' mind that this was where the end of the _Maze_ was and that freedom was on the other side, but Leo couldn't be that optimistic, even if she wanted to be.

A meter before the darkness, Minho held out his hand over Thomas' chest to make sure he actually stopped running. Leo, noticing this, quickly skidded to a halt as she figured out why they had to stop. This was something she had never seen before, she had only heard the stories about it.

Even as the _Grievers_ kept getting closer and closer, Thomas still took a step forward to look over the edge.

Leo looked around and saw that what was in front of them looked like nothing. The air felt empty, like they were standing at the edge of the word, standing in the middle of nothing. Dawn was finally starting to show over the sky, even though a minute ago she would have guessed that they still had hours before that would have happened.

"I don't get it," Thomas whispered, unsure who of the two would hear him.

"Careful," Minho replied. "You wouldn't be the first shank to fall off the _Cliff_." Noticing how close Thomas was to the edge, he grabbed Thomas' shoulder and pulled him back. "Did you forget something?"

She had figured out that this was the infamous _Cliff_ that Alby liked mentioning so much. She never had imagined what it could have been like, but she never would have guessed that it would have felt so empty.

She turned around to face the _Grievers_ who were only a few meters away, all travelling in a single file and moving quickly. She had an idea of what the two boys were going to do, but she didn't know how she could avoid all four of them. She didn't know if there was a way if it was possible.

"These things may be vicious," Minho said. "But they're dumb as dirt. Stand here, close to me, facing-"

"I know. I'm ready," Thomas interrupted.

Leo stared down at the pole that she now carried in her hands, having an idea of what could be done. But, she didn't know if it was possible. But, she knew she had to at least give it a try.

"I'm ready too," she said after taking a huge breath.

The three of them shuffled backwards until they were only a few inches away from the edge of the _Cliff_, knowing that if they travelled only a few more steps back it would result in a long fall before they'd hit the ground.

"We need to be in sync!" Minho yelled. "On my mark!"

Leo stood in the middle of the two, tightening her grip on the pole. She took slow, deep breaths as she narrowed her eyes at the _Grievers_, the panic and fear almost leaving her body as she stared face to face with them. Having a plan and an idea made her feel safe, like there was nothing that could hurt her.

One after the other, the _Grievers_ rolled down the hallway clicking and moaning. They were only seconds away before they would crash into them.

"Ready," Minho said. "Not yet…not yet…"

As he kept stalling, she felt more and more anxious about the plan. If only he would just shout now, she wouldn't start becoming worried.

"Now!"

Minho and Thomas dove in opposite directions just as the first _Griever_'s arm extended. Leo pushed the pole down into the ground as she lunged over the _Griever_'s head, landing to the right of the one behind it.

The _Griever_ screeched as it fell down the _Cliff_, its cry of anguish being cut off before it reached the bottom of the _Cliff_.

Leo skidded to a stop as she watched the second one following the first as it flew off the edge, not being able to stop in time. The third tried to stop, but the momentum was too much for it to handle as it tumbled over the edge, the spike cutting through the ground.

The fourth and the last _Griever_ was however, able to stop. Leo pushed through the middle to join up with Minho and Thomas who had glanced at each other before bolting into a sprint. The _Griever_ teetered over the edge, a single spike and claw being able to hold it in place.

The three ran straight towards the _Griever_, no hesitation as they lunged forward. Thomas and Minho kicked the _Griever_ with all their strength as Leo grunted as she swung the metal pole, striking the _Griever_ straight in the chest. It tried to keep itself stable, but it ended up plummeting to its death from the strong impact.

Thomas scrambled over the edge of the _Cliff_, watching as the last _Griever_ fell off the edge. But, he noticed that it had disappeared. There was nothing there.

The air was silent. The moans, clicking and screeching gone as their heavy breaths filled the now silent _Maze_. Thomas fell down onto his knees as he curled up into a ball, crying as he let everything out.

Leo leaned up against the wall as she slid down, chucking the metal pole across the corridor as it crashed against the opposite wall. She buried her face in her hands as she screamed, her breaths becoming shallow as her whole body felt like ice. Tears fell down her cheeks as her heart beat increased, her stomach in knots. She suddenly gagged from the amount of crying she had done throughout the entire night, and vomited all over the ground next to her.

Minho however, remained the calmest of them all as he stood.

* * *

Day Sixty-Five – The Maze

Half an hour had passed before any of the three had even decided to move from their original positions or say a word to each other. They had no idea of what to say to each other, or even how to say it.

Thomas had stopped crying some time ago, but without proper help Leo couldn't stop herself. She guessed this was because she hadn't panicked during the _Griever_ chase and now she had to make up for it. She really wished she was with Newt right now, he'd know how to calm her down.

Thomas crawled back over to the edge of the _Cliff_, double checking to make sure that all four of them had really disappeared. Leo, trying to calm herself down, looked up at the sky. She only wished she could see the stars, they might have the experience a little more relaxing. She sighed with relief though as she saw the sky had changed to a deep purple, the colour fading into the light of day with its orange tinge from the sun rising.

Thomas rolled over onto his back, staring at the two of them. "I can't believe we're still alive," he said, breaking the silence.

Minho said nothing, but he nodded. Leo couldn't give a response as she twirled her hair around her finger, admiring the length and colour compared to her regular wig.

"Are there more of them? Did we just kill them all?"

Minho snorted. "Somehow we made it to sunrise, or we would've had ten more on our butts before long." He shifted himself. "I can't believe it. Seriously. We made it through the whole night- never been done before."

"What did we do differently?"

"I don't know. It's kind of hard to ask a dead guy what he did wrong."

Thomas looked back over the edge of the _Cliff_. "Seems like they disappeared or something after they went over the edge."

"Yeah, that was kinda psycho. Couple of _Gladers_ had a theory that other things had disappeared, but we proved 'em wrong. Look."

Minho tossed a rock over the _Cliff_, watching as it fell down. Thomas looked over at Minho. "How does that prove them wrong?"

Leo, becoming curious, decided to crawl over to take a look. Minho noticed her and helped her stand, holding his arm around her to keep her legs stable. While she might have at that moment thought he might have just been trying to get close because she was a good looking girl, but she decided not to give it any more thought than just him trying to help her.

"Well, the rock didn't disappear, now, did it?"

"Then what do you think happened?"

Minho shrugged. "Maybe they're magic. My head hurts too much to think about it."

"None of this makes any sense," Leo muttered as she leaned her head against Minho's shoulder, trying to ease her headache.

The two boys glanced over at her as her hair hung down her back, some resting over her right shoulder.

"So Leo, the stubborn short, little shank is a girl?" Minho asked with a smirk on his face. "Huh, never would've guessed."

"Even with my 'pretty' face?" she asked, wiping her eyes.

"Hey, boys can have pretty faces."

"Why the wig?" Thomas suddenly asked as he took a step closer. "Why were you hiding from us?" He tugged slightly on the hair, making sure it wasn't just another wig and that it was real.

She slapped his hand away as she shook her head. She knew that there was no way of getting out of explaining to them, and she really didn't want them at her throat for keeping it secret.

"The _Creators_," she simply said, reaching into her jean pocket to pull out the dreaded piece of paper that haunted both her and Newt. "This was sent up with me in the _Box_."

Minho took the piece of paper and once he'd read it he scrunched it up in his hand, making Thomas glare as he couldn't read it.

"_Shucking shanks_! What do those _shucking shanks _think they'll get out of this?! Enjoyment?! The sick _shucking shucks_!"

"I honestly don't know. All I know is that they have some kind of intention and they're using me as they're bloody test subject…Please, don't tell anyone about this. They, they weren't lying when they said they'd…"

She stopped herself. She glanced down at the ground, lifting her head off Minho's shoulder. Could she tell them about Newt and how he had known for a long time?

"What? What happened?" Thomas asked. He seemed way too intrigued about what had happened to her, almost like he was a little kid getting told a bedtime story.

"…I don't know if I can tell you. You'd have to ask him yourself…" She lifted her head and gave a sad smile. "You know it's him when you see him…"

At the mention of a boy, Thomas' memory was jolted as he snapped his head up. "We have to get back. Gotta get Alby off the wall."

"Oh _shuck_," Leo whispered as she wiped her face again, getting rid of any tears that might have stained her face. She knew that saving Alby's life was much more important at that moment than explaining why she was a girl. And the other two boys knew it too.

Minho looked confused, so Thomas quickly explained what he had done with the vines and pulling him up.

"No way he's still alive," he said.

"How do you know? Come on." Thomas started walking back to the _Glade_.

"Because no one's ever made it…"

"That's because they've always been killed by the _Grievers_ by the time you found them. Alby was only stuck with one of those needles, right?"

Minho joined beside Thomas in a slow walk. Leo followed behind, but she wasn't fully listening. She was too distracted trying to find the wig and the three pins that held it all together.

"I don't know, I guess this has never happened before. A few guys have been stung by the needles during the day. And those are the ones who get the _Serum_ and went through the _Changing_. Those poor shanks who got stuck out in the _Maze_ all night weren't found until later – days later, sometimes, if not at all. And all of them were killed in ways you don't wanna hear about."

"After what we just went through, I think I can imagine."

"I think you just figured it out. We've been wrong – well, hopefully we've been wrong. Because no one who'd been stung and didn't make it back by sunset has never survived, we just assumed that was the point of no return – when it's too late to get the _Serum_."

They turned around a corner, Minho suddenly taking the lead. Leo followed close behind, Thomas at the back of the ground. "Okay – this _Serum_. I've heard that a couple of times now. What is that? And where does it come from?"

"Just what it sounds like, shank. It's a _Serum_. The _Grief Serum_."

"Just when I think I've learned everything about this stupid place. Why is it called that? And why are the _Grievers_ called _Grievers_?"

"I don't know where we got the names, but the _Serum_ comes from the _Creators_ – or that's what we call them, at least. It's with the supplies in the _Box_ every week, always has been. Leo and Newt can confirm that for ya if you'd like."

Thomas glanced over at Leo, who gave him a simple nod.

"It's a medicine or antidote or something, already inside a medical syringe, ready to use. Stick that sucker in someone who's been stung and it saves 'em. They go through the _Changing_ – which sucks – but after that, they're healed."

A minute had passed in silence as they let Thomas process the whole thing. They made a couple more turns, their journey almost coming to an end.

"Weird though. We've never talked about this before. If he's still alive, there's really no reason to think Alby can't be saved by the _Serum_. We somehow got it into our _klunk_ heads that once the _Do_ors closed, you were done – end of story. I gotta see this hanging-on-the-wall thing myself – I think you're _shucking_ me."

They kept walking, but Thomas had a nagging feeling in the back of his mind that he needed to say aloud. "What if another _Griever_ got Alby after I diverted the one chasing me?"

Minho and Leo glanced at each other before they looked at him.

"Let's just hurry, is all I'm saying."

The three quickly picked up their pace, their bodies in so much pain that they had to settle into a slow walk otherwise they would collapse. Leo sighed with relief once she saw the wig and pins in the corner right before the turn to the corridor before the _Glade_.

She quickly pushed past the two as she grabbed hold of them, quickly chucking the wig over her hair, tucking the loose strands inside before she placed the pins in. She turned around as she stuck them in, hissing from the pain of the open cuts on her neck. She shook her head a few times, making sure it was secure before she walked back over to them.

"You know, you're one tough chick," Minho said with a smirk, folding his arms over his chest.

She sighed as a smile made its way onto her face. "Yeah, I guess I knew that."

They walked around the corner and saw Newt and a group of _Glader_ standing at the entrance to the _West Door _to the _Glade_.

They had made it back alive.

This was something that she had never imagined could happen.

Newt limped over as he grabbed hold of Leo's back, pulling her into his tight embrace like his life depended on her being in his arms. His warm embrace made her smile, making her almost forget the horrid night she had had.

"You bloody _shucking_ idiot," he whispered into her ear.

"Yeah, I missed you too," she whispered back.

Thomas and Minho looked at each other, the latter giving a smirk. "I think you can stop now, lover boy," Minho whispered as he moved closer.

Newt flushed, quickly separating himself from her as he cleared his throat. "What happened?" he asked, trying to change the subject. "How in the bloody-"

"We'll tell you later," Thomas interrupted. "We have to save Alby."

Newt's face went pale at the thought. "What do you mean? He's alive?"

"Just come here." Thomas headed to the right, looking up at the walls to search the vines for Alby. He finally found him, pointing to show where he was.

Newt looked up as did Minho and Leo, finding their friend dangling from the thick vines. "Is he…alive?" Newt asked.

"I don't know," Thomas answered. "Was when I left him up there."

"Which happened early last night," Leo said.

"When you left him…" Newt shook his head. "You, Minho and Leo get your butts inside, get yourselves checked by the _Med Jacks_. You look bloody awful. I want the whole story when they're done and you're rested up."

Thomas was about to speak before Minho grabbed him by the arm, forcing him to walk towards the Glade. "We need sleep. And bandages. Now."

She turned to Newt as the other two walked away. She sent him a smile before she walked off, knowing that whenever they got the chance to be alone they would have to discuss some things.

They walked back into the _Glade_, _Gladers_ standing on both sides of them as they made a pathway for the three. It was like three ghosts were walking straight past them.

Thomas stumbled when he saw Gally standing up ahead, his arms folded as he glared. He stared at Gally, never breaking eye contact with him. Within five feet, Gally's stare went down to the ground.

Leo let Thomas and Minho walk past her as she went over to speak with him. "So, maybe you should start keeping your mouth shut about who can survive around here. Maybe next time, don't judge a book by its cover," she said right before she walked past him.

Clint and Jeff quickly ran out to escort the three into their rooms. Leo's room was filled with food, water, bandages and a bed, which was more than enough for her. Her muscles basically gave out as she collapsed onto the bed, her eyes shutting as she fell asleep, letting the memories of the night leave her mind for one of the most peaceful sleeps she's ever had.

One with no dreams, only blackness.


	21. Chapter Twenty-One

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own The Maze Runner nor any of the characters from it.

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE:**

Proving Thomas' Innocence…

* * *

Day Sixty-Six – The "Glade"

When she opened her eyes, she noticed the sun shining through the window, indicating that she had probably slept through the entire day and had woken up the next day. Newt was sitting at the edge of the bed, watching her as she sat up. The bags under his eyes showed how little he had slept through the two nights. She felt horrible knowing that she had caused him that much worry.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, making him shake his head.

"You just did your job," he replied.

She moved herself closer, resting her hand against his cheek. "But I caused this," she said as she traced under his eyes, highlighting the dark circles.

He grabbed hold of her hand, intertwining his fingers with hers as he smiled. "I never slept much anyway."

"I needed you," she whispered, resting her head in the crook of his neck, tears forming in her green eyes. "I thought I was gonna die in there…I was so scared…."

He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her even closer. He kissed the top of her head as he whispered into her ear. "I'm here now, and that's not gonna change any time soon."

"I only wish that was true…"

…

Half of the day had passed before Leo left her room, mostly because she didn't know if she would be able to handle going outside again without breaking down into tears. But, she decided that she needed some fresh air and joined Thomas and Minho out in the _Glade_. She wasn't sure how she'd be able to deal with them and their many questions, but she knew there was no point in hiding from them since they would just find her anyway.

She also couldn't handle the screams coming from Alby's room, which gave her the idea that he was now going through the _Changing_.

"Hey," she said as she walked over, her hands in her pockets as a small smile made its way to her face.

"Feeling any better?" Minho asked, patting her on the back.

She shrugged. "A little, I guess."

"Have you seen Newt anywhere?" Thomas asked as he looked around. "We need to talk."

She gulped, and the two knew that she had already seen and talked to him. They raised their eyebrows as they waited for her to cave in. "Follow me," she said with a sigh as she started making her way back to the Homestead where Newt would have been checking on Alby.

…

"You two know?!" Newt asked, his eyes widening as he glared at them.

"Trust me, we know. We saw it with our own _shucking_ eyes," Minho said as he pointed towards her wig, tugging on it slightly, making it move.

"How?! What the bloody hell happened in that _Maze_?!"

"Calm down _shank_, Thomas is better telling that story. He found out first."

"You better speak up Tommy," Newt said with a glare, his arms folded.

"We were out fighting a _Griever_ when it suddenly grabbed her by her neck. It pulled out the wig, along with the pins which is where the scratches came from…And then I saw the long hair and immediately figured it out."

She touched the back of her neck on instinct, making her flinch from the pain she received. Newt glanced at her quickly with a worried glance, before it went back to glaring at the two boys.

"Then we escaped and ran into Minho, and then he found out. That's all."

"Never would have thought the _shank_ was a girl…A hot one at that," Minho said with a smirk.

"Minho," Newt growled, obviously not impressed with his little comments.

"Just trying to lighten the mood, _shank_," he said, raising his hands in the air as a defence.

"Please, you promised not to tell anyone after I showed you that note," Leo interrupted. "Please make sure you don't. You can gather what could happen if you don't."

"Why would we tell anyone?" Thomas asked. "It's your secret, not ours."

"Hold on, it'll be our little secret now," Minho said as he gave a wink, making Leo roll her eyes.

"You're ridiculous. Both of you!" Newt muttered under his breath, making Minho raise an eyebrow.

"Least we're not dating her," he replied.

"If you say a word about that to anyone-"

"Trust me dude, wouldn't dream of it."

Alby's blood curdling scream filled the air, making the conversation quickly die into an awkward silence, none of them knowing what should be said next. Minho was the first to speak as he sighed. "You better go take care of the shank. We'll make sure this one's safe. Good that?"

Newt looked down at her small figure before he looked at the door that led to Alby's room. She gave him a small nod, telling him it was fine to leave her. He gave a sigh, very reluctant to do so, but he finally agreed.

"Good that."

"Good, now let's go and leave Newt and Alby to it," Minho said as he pushed her forward along with Thomas until they were out the door and in the _Glade_.

…

Twilight had fallen over the sky, the screams continuing to fill the silent _Glade_. She had tried to fall asleep that night, but nothing was going to work. Even though she had taken the pins out, like she did every night, her neck was still stinging from the cuts. She wondered how she was going to get them treated without Clint or Jeff figuring out her secret.

She guessed she would just have to suffer through until it healed on its own.

"Leo?" Emil asked as he emerged from his sleeping bag. "You alright?"

"Oh, yeah. I'm fine. You can go back to sleep. Don't worry about me."

He went silent for a moment before he spoke again. "You know how I said I didn't like the _Greenie_?"

"You mean Thomas?" she asked. She assumed he nodded, even though she couldn't seem him clearly through the darkness.

"I've seen him…He's in my dreams…He's bad, very bad. Bad, bad, bad, bad…" He continued chanting, his voice gradually becoming softer as he started falling asleep, but even in his sleep he still continued to say the word "bad" over and over. She had no idea what was wrong with Emil and why he was acting this way, but she knew that she wouldn't be getting a good night's sleep in a while if he continued.

* * *

Day Sixty-Seven – Part One – The "Glade"

The next morning, all of the _Keepers_ and Leo sat in their chairs, staring straight at Thomas. Alby was, of course, missing so Newt had to take his place as leader for the _Gathering_. Thomas looked anxious, sweating as he glanced at all of them. She had once been in that chair, the _Keepers_ deciding her own fate, and now she had to do the same to Thomas.

"In place of our leader, sick in bed, I declare this _Gathering_ begun," Newt said as he rolled his eyes. "As you all know, the last few days have been bloody crazy, and quite a bit seems centred around our _Greenbean_, Tommy, seated before us."

"He's not the _Greenie_ anymore," Gally said. "He's just a rule breaker now."

Murmurs and whispers filled the room, but Newt quickly shushed them before they got any louder.

"It's not you turn to talk yet," Leo said as she folded her arms.

"Ain't yours either _shuck_face," Gally said with a glare.

"Gally, try and keep some bugging order, here," Newt said. "If you're gonna blabber your _shuck_ mouth every time I say something, you can go ahead and bloody leave, because I'm not in a very cheerful mood."

Gally folded his arms, leaning back in his chair with a scowl.

"Glad we got that out of the way." He rolled his eyes again. "Reason we're here is because almost every loving kid in the _Glade_ has come up to me in the last day or two either boohooing about Thomas or begging to take his bloody hand in marriage. We need to decide what we're going to do with him."

Gally leaned forward, ready to say something.

"You'll have your chance, Gally. One at a time. And Tommy, you're not allowed to say a bugging thing until we ask you to. Good that?"

Thomas nodded, reluctantly.

Newt pointed to the boy seated on the chair to the far right. "Zart the Fart, you start."

A few snickers went around the room, which only made Leo roll her eyes.

"Well," he began. "I don't know. He broke one of our most important rules. We can't just let people think that's okay." He paused as he looked down at his hands. "But then again, he's…changed things. Now we know we can survive out there, and that we can beat the _Grievers_."

"Oh, give me a break," Gally interrupted. "I bet Minho or even _shucking_ Leo's the one who _actually_ got rid of the stupid things."

"Is that an insult?" Leo asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Gally, shut your hole!" Newt yelled as he stood up. "I'm the bloody _Chair_ right now, and if I hear one more bugging word out of turn from you, I'll be arranging another _Banishing_ for your sorry butt."

"I don't see you telling him off," Gally said as he pointed over to Leo, scowling as he slouched in his chair.

"That's 'cause I haven't done anything wrong," she said back.

"Not a word," Newt said, pointing over at Gally. He sat back down, motioning to Zart. "Is that it? Any official recommendations?"

Zart shook his head.

"Okay. You're next, Frypan."

"_Shanks_ got more guts than I've fried up from every pig and cow in the last year."

"Please don't say that," Leo said as she covered her mouth, trying not to gag at the thought.

"Sorry," he said, right before he continued. "How stupid is this – he saved Alby's life, kills a couple of _Grievers_, and we're sitting here yapping about what to do with him. As Chuck would say, this is a pile of _klunk_."

"So what're ya recommending?" Newt asked.

Frypan folded his arms. "Put him on the freaking _Council_ and have him train us on everything he did out there."

She watched as Gally squirmed in his seat, trying to hold himself back from saying something, but he was failing. It took Newt half a minute to calm everyone else down as they all knew that Frypan had gone quite a bit overboard with his recommendation.

"All right, writing her down," Newt said as he scribbled it down onto the notepad. "Now, everyone keep their bloody mouths shut, I mean it. You know the rules – no idea's unacceptable – and you'll all have your say when we vote on it."

Newt then pointed to Edwin who was next in line.

"I don't really have an opinion," he said as he shrugged.

"What? Lot of good it did to choose you for the _Council_, then."

"Sorry, I honestly don't. If anything, I agree with Frypan, I guess. Why punish a guy or saving someone's life?"

"So, you do have an opinion – is that it?"

Edwin nodded as Newt scribbled it down again.

Next in line was Winston. "I think he should be punished. No offence, _Greenie_, but Newt, you're the one always harping about order. If we don't punish him, we'll set a bad example. We punished Leo for this, so why not him. He broke our Number One Rule."

"Okay," Newt said as he wrote it down. "So you're recommending punishment. What kind?"

"I think he should be put in the _Slammer_ for a week with only bread and water – and we need to make sure everyone knows about it so they don't get any ideas."

Gally clapped, so happy that someone shared his opinion, which earnt him a glare from Newt.

Two more of the _Keepers_ spoke their opinions, one of them agreeing with Frypan and the other agreeing with Winston.

"I agree with the lot of ya. He should be punished, but then we need to figure out a way to use him. I'm reserving my recommendation until I hear everyone out. Next."

Down the line everyone went, some thinking he should be rewarded and others thinking punishment. And then finally, it was down to the final three. Gally, Leo and Minho.

"I think I've made my opinions pretty clear already," Gally stated.

"Good that" Newt said, rolling his eyes. "Go, then, Leo."

"No! I still wanna say something!"

"Oh goodie, _Captain Gally_ gets to deliver his famous hate speech," Leo said with a fake smile.

"No one said you could open your mouth, _Pretty Boy_!"

"Bloody say it already," Newt said.

"Just think about it. This _slint_head comes up in the _Box_, acting all confused and scared. A few days later, he's running around the _Maze_ with the _Grievers_, acting like he owns the place. Even Leo took at least a month before he caused trouble."

"Please stop bringing me into everything," Leo muttered.

"I think it was all an act. How could he have done what he did out there after just a few days? I ain't buying it."

"What're you trying to say, Gally?" Newt asked. "How 'bout having a bloody point?"

"I think he's a spy from the people who put us here."

The room went immediately into whispers and murmurs, creating an uproar between the _Keepers_. Newt was trying to calm everyone down once again.

"We can't trust this shank," Gally continued. "Day after he shows up, a psycho girl comes, spouting off that things are gonna change, clutching that freaky note. We find a dead _Griever_. Thomas conveniently finds himself in the _Maze_ for the night, then tries to convince everyone he's a hero. Well, neither Minho nor anyone else saw him do anything in the vines. How do we know it was the _Greenie_ who tied Alby up there?"

"I was there with him," Leo said, making the other _Keepers_ stare. "He tied Alby up with the vines and did the same to himself, pushing himself and Alby up the wall. And all I could do was hide underneath the pile of vines he left behind." She turned to Gally, giving him a smirk. "Is that enough proof for ya?"

"But there's too many weird things going on, and it all started when this shuck-face _Greenie_ showed up. And he just happens to be the first person to survive a night out in the _Maze_. Something ain't right and until we figure it out, I officially recommend that we lock his butt in the _Slammer_ – for a month and then have another review."

More of the Keepers started talking as Newt wrote it down, shaking his head.

"Finished, _Captain Gally_?" Newt asked.

"Quit being such a smart aleck, Newt," he said, his face flushed red. "I'm dead serious. How can we trust this shank after less than a week? Quit voting me down before you even think about what I'm saying."

"He wrote it down like he did with everyone else," Leo said. "Not enough for you?"

"You too _shank_! How can we trust you? Weren't you the one who found Minho and Alby?"

"Your point?"

"How can we be sure you're not a spy? How can we trust you?"

"I wasn't aware this _Gathering_ was about me. I didn't know the world suddenly revolved around only me. Leave me out of this," she said.

"Leo's not a spy. That's it," Newt said, giving Gally a glare. "Stop bringing him into all your bugging problems."

"There you go again. Voting me down because you don't like what I'm saying."

"Fine, Gally. I'm sorry. We heard you, and we'll all consider your bloody recommendation. Are you done?"

"Yes, I'm done. And I'm right."

"Not until you have proof," Leo muttered.

"My word's enough," he said which made her roll her eyes.

"Leo, go ahead," Newt said, holding his head.

"I was in that _Maze_ with him the entire time. He had the brains to get Alby off the ground and somewhere safe away from the _Grievers_. And I was too busy panicking to do a damn thing. I was too weak…Then when they attacked, he was the first to move. He distracted them, saving both mine and Alby's lives. And I still couldn't do anything…As much as I might regret saying this, I say we make him a _Runner_."

Newt nodded as he wrote it down. Gally shook his head, rolling his eyes as he mouthed "can you believe this" over to Winston.

Newt pointed over at Minho. "Go ahead, last but not least."

Minho quickly stood up, taking the _Keepers_ by surprise. "I was also out there; I saw what this guy did – he stayed strong while I turned into a panty-wearing chicken. No blabbing on and on like Gally. I want to say my recommendation and be done with it."

Thomas held his breath.

"Good that," Newt said. "Tells us, then."

Minho looked over at Thomas. "I nominate this shank to replace me as Keeper of the _Runners_."

Silence filled the room as all eyes were on Minho. Nobody could believe the words that had just come out of his mouth.

"That's ridiculous!" Gally shouted, standing up. He pointed at Minho who had sat back down. "He should be kicked off the _Council_ for saying something so stupid."

"You're overreacting," Leo said to him.

Frypan started clapping as he drowned out Gally's cries of protest. Others, including Leo and Thomas didn't agree. Everyone had started talking, making Thomas hang is head in his hands as he waited for the noise to stop.

After what seemed like forever, Newt put down the notepad and screamed at everyone to shut up. He had to shout this many times before some bothered to listen.

"_Shuck_ it," Newt said. "I've never seen so many _shanks_ acting like teat-sucking babies. We may not look it, but around these parts we're adults. Act like it, or we'll disband this bloody _Council_ and start from scratch."

He walked from end to end of the curved semi-circle of _Keepers_, staring each of them in the eye. He hesitated to leave Leo's glance as he gave her a slight which almost made her smile. "Are we clear?"

She nodded while the rest of the _Keepers_ fell silent, giving their answer.

"Good that." He walked back over to his chair, sitting down as he put the notepad in his lap, scribbling down the recommendation before he looked back at Minho. "That's some pretty serious _klunk_, brother. Sorry, but you need to talk it up to move it forward."

"It's sure easy for you _shanks_ to sit here and talk about something you're stupid on. Me and Leo are the only _Runners_ in this group, and the only other one here who's even been out in the _Maze_ is Newt."

Gally interrupted. "Not if you count the time I-"

"I don't! And believe me, you or nobody else has the slightest clue what it's like to be out there. The only reason you were stung is because you broke the same rule you're blaming Thomas for. That's called hypocrisy, you _shuck_-faced piece of-"

"Enough," Newt said. "Defend your proposal and be done with it."

"Anyway, listen to me. I've never seen anything like it. He didn't panic. He didn't whine and cry, never seemed scared. Dude, he'd been here for just a few days. Think about what we were all like in the beginning. Huddling in corners, disoriented, crying every hour, not trusting anybody, refusing to do anything, punching walls. We were all like that, for weeks or months, till we had no choice but to shuck it and live."

Minho pointed at Thomas. "Just a few days after this guy shows up, he steps out in the _Maze_ to save three shanks he hardly knows. All this _klunk_ about him breaking a rule is beyond stupid. He didn't get the rules yet. But plenty of people had told him what it's like in the _Maze_, especially at night. And he still stepped out there, just as the _Door_ was closing, only caring that three people needed help."

He took a deep breath. "But that was just the beginning. After that, he saw me give up on Alby, leave him for dead. And I was the veteran – the one with all the experience and knowledge. So when Thomas saw me give up, he shouldn't have questioned it. But he did. Think about the willpower and strength it took him to push Alby up that wall, inch by inch without any help. It's psycho. It's freaking crazy.

"But that wasn't it. Then came the _Grievers_. I told Thomas we had to split up and I started the practiced evasive manoeuvres, running in the patterns. Thomas, when he should've been wettin' his pants, took control, defied all laws of physics and gravity to get Aly up onto that wall, diverted the _Grievers_ away from him, beat one off, saved Leo's life, found-"

"We get the point," Gally snapped. "Tommy here is a lucky _shank_."

"No, you worthless _shuck_, you don't get it! I've been here two years, and I've never seen anything like it. For you to say anything…"

Minho paused, rubbing his eyes as he groaned in frustration. "Gally, you're nothing but a sissy who has never, not once, asked to be a _Runner_ or tried out for it. You don't have the right to talk about things you don't understand. So shut your mouth."

Gally stood up. "Say one more thing like that and I'll break your neck, right here in front of everybody."

Minho laughed, raising a palm and shoving Gally in the face. Leo stood as she watched the _Glader_ crash down into his chair, tipping it backwards and cracking it into two pieces. Gally sprawled across the floor, scrambling up to stand as he struggling to get to his hands and feet underneath him.

Minho stepped closer, stomping the bottom of his foot down on Gally's back. "I swear, Gally, don't ever threaten me again. Don't ever speak to me again. Ever. If you do, I'll break your _shuck_ neck, right after I'm done with your arms and legs."

Newt, Winston and Leo grabbed Minho, pulling him away from Gally. Gally had jumped up, his face masked with rage. But, he didn't move towards Minho. He just stood there, breathing heavily.

Finally, Gally backed away, half stumbling toward the exit behind him. His eyes moved around the room, glaring with a burning hatred. He reached behind him to grab the handle on the door.

"Things are different now," he said as he spat on the floor. "You shouldn't have done that, Minho. You should not have done that." Then he turned to Leo. "You, you're weak. You shouldn't even be here. We should have left you in that _Box_ to die instead of bringing you here."

His gaze then switched to Newt. "I know you hate me, that you've always hated me. Hated me even more when your _boyfriend_ got a sharp tongue. You should be _Banished_ for your embarrassing inability to lead this group. You're shameful, and any one of you who stays here is no better. Things are going to change. This, I promise."

He yanked the door open, stepping out into the hall. "And you," he said, glaring at Thomas, "the _Greenbean_ who thinks he's friggin' God. Don't forget I've seen you before – I've been through the _Changing_. What these guys decide doesn't mean jack."

He paused, looking at everyone in the room. Then, he went back to Thomas. 'Whatever you came here for – I swear on my life I'm gonna stop it. Kill you if I have to."

Then, he turned and left the room, slamming the door.

Leo was ready to kill Gally right then and there. Insulting her was one thing, but insulting Newt was another. No way was she gonna stand for that. But, her thoughts for revenge were stopped when Newt grabbed her arm, shaking his head.

She stared at him, sighing before he let go of her arm.

"He's finally whacked for good," Minho said quietly.

"Well, you're not the bloody saint in the room," Newt said. "What were you thinking? That was a little overboard, don't ya think?"

"Don't give me that garbage. Every one of you loved seeing that _slint_head get his dues, and you know it. It's about time someone stood up to his _klunk_."

"He's on the _Council_ for a reason."

"Dude, he threatened to break my neck, kill Thomas and Leo! This guy is mentally whacked, and you better send someone right now to throw him in the _Slammer_. He's dangerous."

"Maybe he has a good point," Winston said.

"What?" Minho asked.

"Well…he has been through the _Changing_ – _Griever_ stung him in the middle of the day just outside the _West Door_. That means he has memories, and he said the _Greenie_ looks familiar. Why would he make that up?"

"That's three people," Leo muttered, which caused Newt to raise an eyebrow. Though no one else seemed to hear.

"Winston, did you see what just happened?" Frypan asked. "Gally's psycho. You can't put too much stock in his rambling nonsense. What, you think Thomas here is a _Griever_ in disguise?"

"Can I say something now?" Thomas asked, frustrated. "I'm sick of you guys talking about me like I'm not here."

Newt glanced at him and nodded. "Go ahead. This bloody meetin' can't be much more screwed up."

"I don't know why Gally hates me. I don't care. He seems psychotic to me. As for who I really am, you all know just as much as I do. But if I remember correctly, we're here because of what I did out in the _Maze_, not because some idiot thinks I'm evil."

Someone snickered, and Thomas stopped talking.

Newt nodded. "Good that. Let's get this meeting over with and worry about Gally later."

"We can't vote without all the members here," Winston insisted. "Unless they're really sick, like Alby."

"Does being mentally ill count?" Leo whispered to Minho, who snickered.

"For the love, Winston," Newt replied. "I'd say Gally's a wee bit ill today, too, so we continue without him. Thomas, defend yourself and then we'll take the vote on what we should do with you."

"I didn't do anything wrong. All I know is I saw three people struggling to get inside these walls and they couldn't make it. To ignore that because of some stupid rule seemed selfish, cowardly, and…well, stupid. If you want to throw me in jail, like you did with Leo, for trying to save someone's life, then go ahead. Next time, I promise I'll point at them and laugh, then go eat some of Frypan's dinner."

"Here's my recommendation," Newt said. "You broke our bloody Number One Rule, so you get one day in the _Slammer_. That's your punishment. I also recommend we elect you as _Runner_, effective the second this meet's over. You've proven more in one night than most trainees do in weeks. As for you being the buggin' _Keeper_, forget it."

He looked at Minho. "Gally was right on that count – stupid idea."

"Why? He's the best we have – I swear it. The best should be the _Keeper_."

"Fine," Newt responded. "If that's true, we'll make the change later. Give it a month and see if he proves himself."

Minho shrugged. "Good that."

Newt glanced around the room. "Okay, we had several recommendations, so let's give it a go-round-"

"Oh, come on," Frypan said. "Just vote. I vote for yours."

"Me too," Minho said.

"Me three," Leo said.

Everyone else in the room gave their approval. Winston was the only one who said no.

Newt looked at him. "We don't need your vote, but tell us what's bonkin' around your brain."

Winston looked at Thomas, then back to Newt. "It's fine with me, but we shouldn't totally ignore what Gally said. Something about it – I don't think he just made it up. And it's true that ever since Thomas got here, everything's been shucked and screwy."

"Fair enough," Newt said. "Everyone put some thought into it – maybe when we get right nice and bored we can another _Gathering_ to talk about it. Good that?"

Winston nodded.

Thomas groaned. "I love how you guys are just talking about me like I'm not here."

"Look, Tommy," Newt said. "We just elected you as a buggin' _Runner_. Quit your cryin' and get out of here. Minho has a lot of training to give you."

"I wish I had this nice a treatment," Leo said, referring to how cold Alby had been about her punishment.

"What about my punishment?" Thomas asked.

"Tomorrow," Newt answered. "The wake-up till sunset."

The meeting was finally dismissed and everyone expect Newt, Minho and Leo left the room in a hurry. Newt was still writing notes down. "Well, that was good times," he muttered.

Minho walked over and playfully punched Thomas in the arm. "It's all this _shank_'s fault."

Thomas punched him back. "_Keeper_? You want me to be _Keeper_? You're nuttier than Gally be a long shot."

Minho faked an evil grin. "Worked, didn't it? Aim high, hit low. Thank me later."

"You couldn't do this for me?" Leo asked.

"Well, if I'd known you were a girl, I would have made you my personal assistant," Minho said.

"Good thing you didn't figure it out huh?" she asked with a smirk.

A knock on the door got their attention. It was Chuck standing there, huffing and puffing, the colour drained from his face.

"What's wrong?" Newt asked, standing up.

"_Med Jacks_ sent me."

"Why?"

"I guess Alby's trashing around and acting all crazy, telling them he needs to talk to somebody."

Newt started walking to the door, but Chuck held up his hand. "Um…he doesn't want you."

"What do you mean?"

Chuck pointed at Thomas. "He keeps asking for him."


	22. Chapter Twenty-Two

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own The Maze Runner nor any of the characters from it.

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO:**

"Everything is Going to Change…"

* * *

Day Sixty-Seven – Part Two – The "Glade"

"Well, come on," Newt said to Thomas, grabbing his arm. "No way I'm not going with ya."

"I'm going with you," Leo said.

"Leo-"

"I don't care if he doesn't want to see me, I just need…I just need to make sure this is all real," she replied.

Newt had no idea how to respond to that without sounding like a jerk, which was the last thing he wanted to do around Leo. He sighed, knowing that there was no way to argue with her. "Let's go then."

Thomas quickly followed behind them – Chuck right behind – as they left the _Council Room _and went down the hall. Newt took the first step up the stairs before he turned, giving Chuck a glare.

"You. Stay."

Chuck didn't say anything, but he nodded, seeming very on edge being this close to someone going through the _Changing_.

"I think it's better not to see," Leo said as she gave him a smile, patting him on the back to reassure him. She and Newt quickly headed up the stairs, giving Thomas some time to talk to Chuck.

"You're sure you wanna do this?" Newt asked once they'd reached the top of the stairs, the closed door the only thing separating them from Alby.

She gave him a nod. "I've handled much worse," she said, referring to the night she spent with the _Grievers_ inside the _Maze_. "Don't forget, you have too."

Thomas suddenly reached the top of the stairs, cutting off any conversation between the two as their faces became grim. Newt headed to the second door on the right, knocking on it softly. Alby moaned in response, giving them the okay to come into the room. He pushed the door open slowly, the door creaking from the hinges as it revealed more of the room.

He stepped inside, motioning for the two of them to follow. As all three entered the room, they saw a very weak looking Alby lying on the bed. The effects of the Serum hadn't at least given him the horrible effects it had given to Ben, well, at least not yet.

"Is he asleep?" Thomas whispered.

"I don't know," Newt said quietly.

"Let's just hope he's still alive," she muttered, deciding that being sensitive was not something needed in this moment. Thomas must have been thinking a similar thing as he glanced at her.

Newt sat down in a wooden chair next to the bed, making Thomas take the seat over on the other side. Leo stood behind Newt's chair, leaning over the back so that her head almost touched his shoulder. She could have easily gone for the third chair which sat across the room, but…could you really blame her for wanting to be close to him as possible? He seemed to have noticed as well as he smiled for a second, before it vanished when he glanced at Alby again.

"Alby," he whispered. "Alby. Chuck said you wanted to talk to Tommy."

Alby's eyes opened, his bloodshot brown eyes staring at Newt, then Leo, then Thomas. He groaned as he shifted his position to sit up, leaning his back against the headboard. "Yeah," he muttered.

"Chuck said you were trashing around, acting like a loonie." Newt leaned forward. "What's wrong? You still sick?"

"Everything's…gonna change…The girl…Thomas…I saw them." His eyelids closed before they opened again, his body becoming weaker by the second as he sank back down to lying as he stared at the ceiling. "Don't feel so good."

"What do you mean, you saw-"

"I wanted Thomas!" Alby yelled suddenly, making Leo flinch from the sudden noise. "I didn't ask for you Newt! Thomas! I asked for freaking Thomas!"

Newt glanced over at Thomas, his eyebrows raised as he looked for a reason. Thomas simply shrugged, having no idea either.

"Fine, ya grouchy _shuck_," he said. "He's right here – talk to him."

"Leave," Alby said as he closed his eyes.

"No way – I wanna hear."

"Newt." He paused. "Leave. Now."

"I'm perfectly calm."

"But-"

"Out! Both of you! Get out!"

Hurt flashed over Newt's face, but he wasn't angry. She gently touched his shoulder, telling him it wasn't worth the fight. After a long moment, Newt stood from his chair and walked over to the door. He opened it as he turned around.

"Don't expect me to kiss your butt when you come saying sorry," he said, stepping out into the hallway.

"Leo. Out."

"Why are you being so mean-?"

"Out. Now."

"Alright, alright. I'm bloody going," she said as she stepped out of the room, standing in the middle of the hallway.

"Close the door!"

Newt slammed it shut, clearly ticked off with what was happening. He folded his arms as he leaned against the door, trying to listen to what they were saying. Leo shook her head, not knowing how she should react.

"Who built these bloody doors?" Newt asked. "Can't hear a bugging word." He raised up his fist to bang on the door, but Leo quickly caught it and held it in her hands.

"Please calm down," she said. "There's no need to start a fight right now." He took a second to breathe and calm down, staring into her eyes to help him calm down. She took a step closer, the tension in his body disappearing as she placed her hand on his shoulder, gently tugging him closer. "You gonna be okay?"

"I'm always alright." She raised an eyebrow. "Not always alright. I'm fine now."

"Well, that's good," she said as she gave him a quick kiss. "If you're not alright, then there's no bloody way in hell that I'll be."

He bent down and gave her a kiss as she moved her hands to his chest. "We're both a bit loving _shucked_ in the head," he said, making her nod.

"Very," she said as she gave him another kiss.

"_Alby!" _they heard Thomas shout from inside the room.

The two quickly moved apart as they stared at the door.

"_Newt! Leo! Get in here!"_

"Shuck," Newt muttered as he smashed through the door, opening it with such a force that it scared Thomas and Leo. The two quickly ran over to Alby, Newt grabbing his shoulders as he pushed his whole body down to pin him to the bed.

"Thomas, grab his legs! Leo, keep the middle down!"

Thomas ran over to his legs, but Alby kicked and flailed which made it harder for him to grab hold. Leo climbed onto the bed as she pushed his stomach down, using all her strength to stop him.

Alby kicked Thomas square in the jaw, making him stumble as he rubbed the sore area.

"Just bloody do it!" Newt yelled.

Thomas quickly jumped onto Alby as he grabbed both his legs and pinned them down onto the bed. Newt put a knee on Alby's shoulder, grabbing Alby's hands that had been clasped around his own neck.

"Let go! You're bloody killing yourself!"

Newt pulled at Alby's hands until he was finally able to pry them away from his own neck, pushing them down tightly against his chest. Alby's whole body jerked a couple of times, almost knocking Leo to the ground as she yelped. But then finally, he calmed down. A few seconds later, Alby lay still as his breathing became a steady pace.

Newt waited an entire minute before he slowly let go of Alby's hands, watching as they remained in the same spot. Leo, taking the hint, slowly let go of the middle of his body. Another minute had passed before Newt removed his knee from Alby's shoulder as he stood back up.

Leo pushed herself off the bed, standing next to Newt as she touched his arm as a sign of comfort. Thomas took this cue to get off the bed, his face pale and still showing his terrified expression.

Alby looked up, his eyes droopy, almost as if he was going to fall asleep. "I'm sorry, Newt," he whispered. "Don't know what happened. It was like…something was controlling my body. I'm sorry…"

Leo's body tensed for a second, making her think that the _Creators_ had taken over her body once again. But once she was able to grip on Newt's arm, she knew she was still in control. She remembered how scary it was when they had taken over as her body moved all on its own though her mind screamed for help…She knew how terrified Alby must have been when his arms moved on their own to choke himself.

"Sorries, nothing. You were trying to bloody kill yourself."

"Wasn't me, I swear."

"What do you mean it wasn't you?"

"I don't know…It…it wasn't me."

Thomas couldn't help but notice how tense and on edge Leo was as she clung onto Newt or how he kept glancing at her with panic in his eyes.

"Get your butt to sleep and we'll talk about it later," Newt said, hiding his fear as he patted Alby on the head. "You're messed up, _shank_."

Alby was already in the process of falling asleep as he nodded slightly, closing his eyes.

Newt had caught Thomas' gaze, gesturing over to the door. Newt led the way back to the door as the two followed behind him, walking out in the hallway. Just as they were about to close the door and leave, Alby mumbled something.

The three stopped as they turned back around. "What?" Newt asked.

Alby opened his eyes for a second, then repeated what'd he said, but louder. "Be careful with the girl." Then he closed his eyes again.

_What is so important about this girl that would make Alby say something like that? Did he see her in the Changing or something? _

"Let's go," Newt whispered after taking a glance at Thomas, who had only shrugged as his response.

"And Newt…Leo," Alby called out again.

"Yeah?" Newt asked.

"What?" Leo asked.

"Protect the Maps." Alby then rolled over, turning his back to them. Leo and Newt looked at each other, wondering why he had given that warning. What was he trying to tell them? The three closed the door behind them as they hurried down the stairs of the _Homestead_ and back into the open field of the _Glade_.

None of them had said a word for a while, but once they took a step outside, Newt finally broke the silence.

"Hungry Tommy?"

"Hungry? I feel like puking after what I just saw – no, I'm not hungry."

Newt grinned. "Well, I am, ya shank. I bet Leo is too. Let's go look for some leftovers from lunch. We need to talk."

"Somehow I knew you were going to say something like that."

Leo laughed as the three headed over towards the kitchen where they were able to get some cheese sandwiches and raw vegetables, which didn't bother Leo in the slightest. Frypan was a little bit annoyed about it, but he made the exception for them once they'd explained what had happened. He was a bit hesitant to offer Thomas food though as he gave him strange looks.

They decided to eat outside and after a few minutes, they found themselves at the _West Wall_, watching the many things going on in the Glade. She leaned her back against a patch of ivy as she watched the _Track Hoes _do the work that she was supposed to do. She felt a little guilty making them do more work than usual, but they had all claimed it was no big deal.

"Ever seen that happen before?" Thomas asked.

"What Alby just did? No. Never. But then again, no one's ever tried to tell us what they remembered during the _Changing_. They'd always refuse. Alby tried to – must be why he went nuts for a while."

"It's insane that those bugging _Creators_ think they can just do that," Leo said. "Control us. Take over our bodies and then let us do whatever they want…It's sick."

"I thought you said it's never-"

"Not like that, but…" Leo looked over at Newt, who sighed in response.

"There's no point in hiding it from him anymore," he replied, which made Leo nod as she took a deep breath.

"No one has ever tried to kill _themselves_…But someone tried to kill _someone else_ under their control."

Thomas paused mid-chew. He gulped as he stared at her. "Who? Why?"

"It…It was me…I was under their control…I tried too…I almost…"

Tears started filling her eyes as she remembered that day. It was even more terrifying to her than spending a night with the _Grievers_. If she hadn't been able to stop them, he would have been dead and it would have been her fault.

"She tried to kill me," Newt said as he pulled her in close, making sure she knew that he was still alive and right beside her. "That's what the note meant. But, we didn't know it would mean…" He glanced down at her, his heart clenching at her shaking form.

"But, how? Why? Why would they do something like that?"

"Tommy, I think it's time to stop," Newt said, gesturing down at Leo as a tear slid down her cheek. She grabbed hold of Newt's shirt, making sure it wasn't just a dream and that he was really alive and in front of her.

"Yeah, right, sorry."

She gave a nod as she lifted her head slightly, going back to watch the _Gladers_ do their usual work. She took some deep breaths as she calmed herself down. She was a mess. A bloody mess.

"We have to find Gally," Newt said, changing the subject. "Bugger's gone off and hid somewhere. Soon as we're done eating, I need to find him and throw his butt in jail."

"Serious?" Thomas asked, almost excited at the thought.

"That _shank_ threatened to kill you and we have to bloody make sure it never happens again. That _shuck_face is gonna pay a heavy price for acting like that – he's lucky we don't Banish him. Remember what I told you about order."

"Yeah."

"Here's how it'll play out, Tommy. You're with me and Leo the rest of the day – we need to figure things. Tomorrow, the _Slammer_. Then you're Minho's, and I want you to stay away from the other _shanks_ for a while. Got it?"

"Sounds beautiful. So Minho's going to train me?"

"That's right – you're a _Runner_ now. Minho'll teach ya. The _Maze_, the Maps, everything. Lots to learn. I expect you to work your butt off."

"He's a pretty good teacher. He taught me everything I needed to know," Leo said, giving him a reassuring smile. But clearly Thomas didn't need it as he wasn't frightened about going back into the _Maze_.

"Thomas, I need you to accept something," Newt said. "We've heard it too many times now to deny it, and it's time to discuss it. Gally said it. Alby said it. Ben said it. The girl, after we took her out of the _Box_ – she said it." He paused, expecting a question from it, but none came. "They all said things were going to change." He looked away, then turned back. "That's right. And Gally, Alby and Ben claim they saw you in their memories after the _Changing_ and from what we can gather, you weren't planting flowers and helping old ladies cross the street. According to Gally, there's something rotten enough about ya that he wants to kill ya."

"Guys, I don't know-"

"I know you don't remember anything, Thomas! Quit sayin' that – don't ever say it again. None of us remember anything, and we're bloody sick of you reminding us. The point is there's something different about you, and it's time we figured it out."

"Fine, so how do we do it? I want to know who I am just as much as anyone else. Obviously."

"I need you to open your mind. Be honest if anything – anything at all – seems familiar."

"Nothing-" Thomas started, but stopped.

"I can see your wheels spinning," Newt said. "Talk."

Thomas hesitated. "Well…I can't put my finger on anything specific. But I did feel like I'd been here before when I first got here. Anyone else go through that?"

"Uh, no, Tommy. Most of us spent a week _klunking_ our pants, bawlin' our eyes out or punchin' everything in sight."

"Yeah, well. It all seemed familiar to me, and I knew I wanted to be a _Runner_."

"That's bloody interesting. Well, keep lookin' for it. Strain your mind, spend your free time wandering your thoughts, and think about this place. Delve inside that brain of yours, and seek it out. Try, for all our sakes."

"I will." Thomas closed his eyes.

"Seriously?" Leo asked Newt. She tried to hide her laughter.

"Not now, you dumb _shuck_." Newt laughed. "I just mean do it from now on. Free time, meals, goin' to sleep at night, as you walk around, train, work. Tell me anything that seems even remotely familiar. Got it?"

"Yeah, got it."

"Good that. To begin, we better go see someone."

"Who?" Thomas asked.

"Who do you think _shank_?" Leo asked.

"The girl. I want you to look at her till your eyes bleed, see if somethin' gets triggered in that_ shuck _brain of yours." Newt stood up. Then I want you to tell me every single word Alby said to you."

Thomas sighed as he stood up. "Okay."

Leo stood up, patting herself off. "This isn't going to be weird in the slightest."

The three walked back to the _Homestead_ where the unnamed girl was still in her coma. God, she wondered if the girl knew she was in a coma and her mind was the only thing that was working. What would it feel like to lie there, hearing these people come into your room but you can't even open your eyes?

"If all else fails," Newt said, "we'll send ya to the _Grievers_ – get ya stung so you can go through the _Changing_. We need your memories."

Thomas barked a sarcastic laugh.

"He wasn't kiddin'," Leo said with a smirk and Thomas gulped. He turned his attention to the girl in the coma. Leo couldn't believe how peaceful and healthy she looked. She had always thought that she would look like a mess, that she'd be almost as thin as a skeleton. But, she looked almost perfect for someone on death's doorstep.

Clint walked into the room, dropping a few drops of water into the girl's mouth. There was a plate and bowl which had the remains of mashed potatoes and soup. They were doing everything they could to keep her alive.

"Hey, Clint," Newt said. "She surviving?"

"Yeah," he answered. "She's doing fine, though she talks in her sleep all the time. We think she'll come out of it soon."

"Have you been writin' down every word she says?"

Clint nodded. "Most of it's impossible to understand. But yeah, when we can."

"Give me an example." Newt pointed to the notepad on the nightstand.

"Well, the same thing she said when we pulled her out of the Box, about things changing. Other stuff about the _Creators_ and how 'it all has to end'. And uh…" Clint looked at Thomas.

"It's okay – he can hear whatever I hear."

"Well…I can't make it all out, but…She keeps saying his name over and over."

Thomas stumbled, his face paling.

"Thanks, Clint. Get us a report of all that, okay?"

"Will do." He nodded. He noticed Leo and smiled. "How you feeling? Your neck any better?"

She nodded. "Yeah, a bit."

"Need anything for it?"

She shook her head. "Nah, I've been through worse. Thanks, though."

Clint shrugged. "It's my job to make sure our _Gladers_ are well." And with that, he left the room.

"Pull up a chair," Newt said to Thomas as he sat on the edge of the bed. Leo sat down next to him, placing her hand in his.

Thomas grabbed a chair from the desk and placed it next to the girl's head. He sat down, leaning towards her face.

"Anything ring a bell?" Newt asked. "Anything at all?"

Thomas didn't say anything, he just continued to stare at the girl. He was taking everything in, her blue eyes, her black hair, perfect skin, full lips, everything.

"Don't get too lost there," Leo said, noticing how long he had been staring. Thomas felt something go through him, but it left as quickly as it arrived.

"I do know her," he whispered, leaning back into his chair.

Newt stood up. "What? Who is she?"

"No idea. But something clicked – I know her from somewhere."

"Well, keep bloody thinking – don't lose it. Concentrate."

"I'm trying, so shut up."

Thomas closed his eyes, obviously trying to find something in his empty mind that had anything to do with who she was. But, he found nothing. He leaned forward, taking a huge breath, then looking at the two, shaking his head.

"I just don't-"

Suddenly, Thomas jolted from his chair, knocking it down onto the ground. He spun around in a circle, looking for something.

"Thomas? What happened?" Leo asked as she stood up.

"What's wrong? Did ya remember somethin'?" Newt asked.

"I…" He sat back down, leaning forward to stare at her face again. "Newt, did you just say something before I stood up?"

"No."

Thomas seemed desperate as he looked at Leo. "Did you?"

"No, nothing."

"Oh. I just thought I heard something…I don't know. Maybe it was in my head. Did…she say anything?"

"Her?" Newt and Leo asked.

"No. Why? What did you hear?"

"I…I swear I heard a name. _Teresa._"

"_Teresa_?" Leo asked, tilting her head.

"No, I didn't hear that," Newt said. "Must've sprung loose from your bloody memory blocks! That's her name, Tommy. _Teresa._ Has to be."

Thomas looked uncomfortable. "It was…I swear I heard it. But in my mind, man. I can't explain it."

Suddenly, he jumped from the chair, scrambling as far away from the bed as possible, knocking over the lamp on the table down in the process. It smashed onto the ground, broken glass going everywhere.

"Whoa, what the hell Thomas?!" Leo asked.

"What's bloody wrong with you?" Newt asked.

"She's…she's freakin' talking to me. In my head. She just said my name!"

"What?"

"Thomas, are you-"

"I swear! I'm…hearing her voice in my head – or something…it's not really a voice…"

"Tommy, sit your butt down. What are you bloody talking about?"

"Newt, I'm serious. It's…not really a voice…but it is."

Thomas put his hands to his ears, squeezing his eyes shut.

"Thomas? What's goin' on?" Leo asked.

"You okay? What's happening?" Newt asked.

Thomas stumbled to the door and forced it open, stepping into the hall and running. He went down the stairs, out the front door and ran as far away as he could.

"Thomas! Where are you goin'?" Leo yelled.

"Something strange is goin' on," Newt said, looking at the girl.

"Even more strange than bloody usual," Leo said as they looked at each other, than at the open door. What was going on?

* * *

Day Sixty-Eight – The "Glade"

The next day, everything seemed like it was back to normal. Thomas had returned to his normal curious self after having shut himself off after the girl incident. Everything had gone back to its usual clock work. Thomas would be facing his day in the _Slammer_ as punishment today, so he wouldn't have to worry about encountering the girl again.

Leo and Newt entered the kitchen that morning, they saw Thomas pick up his plate and take it to the counter where Frypan gave him a nod. "All I want is one normal day – one day to relax," he said to himself.

"Then your bloody wish is granted," Newt said with a smile. "Come on, ya buggin' jailbird. You can take it easy while you're hanging in the _Slammer_. Let's go. Chucky'll bring ya some lunch at noon."

Thomas nodded as they headed out the door. "Trust me, you won't be happy about spending a day in there," Leo said to Thomas as Newt led the way. "I spent a night in there and I was ready to pull my bugging hair out. And there ain't no such thing as comfort in that bloody thing."

"Thanks for the reassurance," Thomas said playfully.

"Just trying not to get your hopes up." She winked as he rolled his eyes.

Newt took out a key and opened up the wooden door, the only wooden thing on the big block of concrete. There was a single barred window and the lock was a rusty metal latch. She was so glad that she was never able to see it in full effect, only in the darkness of night.

"There's only a chair in there and nothin' at all for ya to do. Enjoy yourself."

Thomas groaned as he stepped into the room, seeing the rickety chair with one leg shorter than the other.

"See, told ya it'd be a blast," Leo said with a smirk.

"Have fun," Newt said before he closed the door. He closed the latch and locked the door, making a click sound. Newt and Leo's heads appeared at the little glass window, looking through the bars with smirks.

"Ooh, this is fun. I love not being the one in there," Leo said.

"Nice reward for breaking the rules. You save some lives, Tommy, but ya still need to learn-"

"Yeah, I know. Order."

Newt smiled. "You're not half bad, _shank_. But friends or no, gotta runs things properly, keep us buggers alive. Think about that while ya sit here and stare at the bloody walls."

He walked off, leaving Leo and Thomas. "Don't worry, you only have twelve hours left in there. Enjoy."

And then Thomas was left by himself.

The day seemed to go by so fast as Leo went for her run in the _Maze_, and then headed back to do about an hour's work in the fields.

Thomas was let out of the _Slammer_ when the _Doors_ shut for the night and was released by Alby – who was looking better than ever before. The sun seemed to set too quickly and then it was time for dinner. Vegetables and soup. The same crap she'd been having for the last week.

What joy.

* * *

Day Sixty-Nine – Part One – The "Glade"

Leo woke the next morning to see most of the _Gladers_ already awake, standing near the entrance of the _Box_ and pointing at the sky. Leo, wondering what all the commotion was, quickly jolted out of her sleeping bag. She placed the pins in her hair quickly before she ran over to the crowd. Breakfast should have started being served and people should have started preparing for work. But, once she'd looked up at the sky, she knew why everyone was panicking.

The sun had disappeared.

The sky was just a dull grey, nothing else there. Just a grey cloud hovering over them. During her three months in the _Glade_, this had never happened before. It had been sunny every single day for the past three months, and according to the other _Gladers_, the entire two years they had been trapped in here.

There was no possible way that the sun could have disappeared. Nobody in the _Glade_ was stupid enough to believe that, but nobody could explain the sudden change in weather. Surely it would have changed before if it had been normal weather. Why would it suddenly change now? And now that it had changed, it would be stuck like this forever, or would it only be for today?

The only conclusion she could come to was that it was all fake. The cold chills they received at night, the dark sky, the sunrise and sunset, the heat they received from the sun was fake, the sun itself was fake, which probably meant that they weren't even really outside and were just given the illusion of that they were outside when in actuality they were just trapped inside some kind of dome.

She noticed Thomas walking up behind her, staring at the sky, probably thinking the same thing as everyone else.

"What do you think happened?" Chuck asked, terrified.

Leo turned to see the young boy standing behind them. "Looks like a big grey ceiling – close enough you could almost touch it."

"Yeah, makes you wonder about this place," Thomas said.

Leo looked up and realised how right Chuck was. It looked like a grey roof over a house. But, how could that be? "Maybe something's broken. I mean, maybe it'll be back."

"Broken? What's that supposed to mean?" Chuck asked.

"Thomas? What are you thinking?" Leo asked.

Thomas was silent, thinking over something.

"Thomas?" Chuck asked, tapping him on the arm.

"Yeah?"

"What'd you mean by broken?"

"Oh. I don't know. Must be things about this place we obviously don't understand. But you can't just make the sun disappear from space. Plus, there's still enough light to see by, as faint as it is. Where's that coming from?"

"Yeah, where is it coming from? What's going on Thomas?"

Leo looked down at her watch and sighed. "_Shucking_ hell. Catch up with you guys later," she announced before she took off into a sprint and ran out into the _Maze_. Thomas watched before he went back to Chuck.

…

After running in the _Maze_, mostly paying attention to the dark coloured sky instead of her observations, she quickly recorded them down into the _Map Room _before heading back out. Thomas and Minho were right behind her.

And when Newt and Alby walked up to them, neither of them looked happy.

"Hey," Minho said. "We were just-"

"Get on with it," Alby interrupted. "Ain't got time to waste. Find anything? Anything?"

"I found nothin'," Leo said, crossing her arms.

Minho recoiled at Alby's harsh attitude. "Nice to see you, too. Yeah, we did find something, actually."

Alby looked disappointed. "Cuz this whole _shank_ place is falling to pieces."

"What do you mean? What else happened?"

"Bloody supplies didn't come today. Come every week for two years, same time, same day. But not today," Newt said.

"No _shuckin_' way," Leo muttered.

The five of them looked to the steel doors attached to the ground. "Oh, we're _shucked_ for good now," Minho whispered.

"No sun for the plants, no supplies from the bloody Box – yeah, I'd say we're _shucked_, all right," Newt said.

Alby folded his arms, glaring at the _Box_.

"Yeah, anyway," Minho continued. "We found something weird."

"Even weirder than the bloody sun disappearing?" Leo asked.

"Well…might be just as weird."

"Get on with it!" Alby said.

Newt raised his eyebrows, as did Leo. "What did you find?"

Minho took three minutes to explain, starting off with the _Griever_ he and Thomas had followed, ending with their rock-throwing experiment.

"Must lead to where the…ya know…_Grievers_ live," he said as he finished.

"The _Griever_ hole," Thomas added.

"That hole that we sent the _Grievers_ down?" Leo asked and he nodded.

"Gotta bloody see that for myself," Newt said. "Hard to believe," he muttered.

"How could that be possible?" Leo asked. "They can't just disappear."

"I don't know what we can do," Minho said. "Maybe we could build something to block off that corridor."

"No way," Newt said. "_Shuck_ things can climb the bloody walls, remember? Nothing we could build would keep them out."

But, commotion from outside the _Homestead_ captured their attention. There were a group of _Gladers_ standing at the front door of the house, shouting to try and hear each other. Chuck was in the middle of the group. Once he saw Thomas, he rushed over, a look of excitement all over his face.

"Chuck!" Leo yelled.

"What's going on?" Newt asked.

"She's awake! The girl's awake!"


	23. Chapter Twenty-Three

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own The Maze Runner nor any of the characters from it.

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE:**

Grievers Attack: Trapped Inside the Homestead…

* * *

Day Sixty-Nine – Part Two – The "Ending" – The "Glade"

"You've got to be _shucking_ kidding me!" Leo said.

"Chuck, you sure?" Newt asked, and the little boy nodded.

"Of course! Why would I lie about this?"

"This is bad. We need to get there now," Newt said. "Leo, come help."

"Yeah, sure," she said as she followed him over to the _Homestead_.

"Of all the bloody times…" Newt muttered as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"Well, she's got good timing," Leo said with a sigh, trying to lighten the mood but not knowing if it was working or not.

The two quickly headed up the stairs of the _Homestead_, the door wide open. The bed was completely empty and Clint was crouched over in pain. Jeff was nowhere to be seen, which made both of them worry.

"What the hell happened in here?" Leo asked as she walked through, trying to find somewhere where the girl could have been hiding. Trays were knocked over and things were all over the floor, so the girl must have put up quite a bit of a fight.

"_Shucking_ girl…ran out…escaped…ouch," Clint groaned.

"She couldn't have gotten very far," Newt said.

"_Shucking_ hell. Bloody girl's already more trouble than she's worth," she muttered, shaking her head.

"Go…find her…" Clint moaned.

"We'd better hurry," Newt said as he took hold of her hand and dragged her out of the room, down the stairs and out into the open _Glade_. They asked numerous boys if any of them had seen where she'd gone, but none of them seemed to be able to give an answer.

"How…?" Leo wondered. "Never mind, let's just go this way," she said as she pointed over to the right. They went over to the _Builders_, the _Sloppers_, then to the kitchen, but still nobody knew where she had gone.

"The _Deadheads_. She's gotta be there," Newt said as they quickly started walking over.

"It's always the last place you look," Leo said as she rolled her eyes. She suddenly stopped though once she noticed the time that was written on her watch. "The time on this watch is right, right?" she asked.

Newt turned around and nodded. "Yeah, why?"

"So, why haven't the _Doors_ closed yet?"

Newt's eyes widened as he glanced down at his watch and then over to the _Doors_. They should have closed ten minutes ago. "_Sh_uck," he swore as he grabbed her arm and took off into a run to try and find them. After searching for another ten minutes, they found two figures sitting down in front of a tree, one of them having long black hair.

"How in the…" Newt said as he got in front of them. Of course, the other figure besides the girl had to be the _Greenie_, Thomas. Alby and the others had followed behind them. "How did you get here? _Med Jack_ said you were there one second and bugging gone the next."

The girl – who Thomas had called Teresa – stood up, her hair falling over her shoulder. "Guess he forgot to tell the little part about me kicking him in the groin and climbing out the window."

Thomas looked like he was going to laugh at any second. The _Med Jack _in question stood next to Newt – who happened to be Jeff – and his face had turned bright red from embarrassment.

"Congrats, Jeff," Newt said. "You're officially the first guy here to get your butt beat by a _girl_."

"Keep talking like that and you'll be next."

"Okay, no need for violence here, alright?" Leo asked as she stood in-between Teresa and Newt. Teresa looked over at Thomas, looking for an answer as to who Leo was, because obviously something bothered her about Leo. There was clearly something that rubbed her the wrong way about her, but she just couldn't figure it out.

"I'm sick of this," Alby said as he pointed at Thomas. "I wanna know who you are, who this _shank_ girl is, and how you guys know each other."

"Alby, I swear-"

"She came straight to you after waking up, _shuck_-face!"

"So what? I know her, she knows me – or at least, we used to. That doesn't mean anything! I can't _remember_ anything. Neither can she."

Alby then looked over Teresa with his harsh glare. "What did you do?"

She didn't say anything, just stared.

"What did you do?! First the sky, now this."

"I triggered something," she replied, strangely calm about this situation. "Not on purpose, I swear it. _The Ending_. I don't know what it means."

"_The Ending_? That sounds like something we should be excited for," Leo said, making Teresa glare.

"What's wrong, Newt?" Thomas asked. "What happened?"

Alby grabbed him by the shirt. "What happened? I'll tell ya what happened, shank. Too busy making lovey eyes to bother looking around? To bother noticing what freaking _time_ it is!"

Thomas looked down at his watch.

"The walls, you shuck. The _Doors_. They didn't close tonight."

Leo gulped as she looked over at the open Doo_rs_. All four sets of them were open. That means the _Grievers_ could come inside the _Glade_ from all four sides. No sun, no supplies, no protection and Teresa – the girl the _Creators_ had sent up – had caused all of this to happen. And yet Thomas still defended her.

Ably pointed at her. "I want her locked up. Now. Billy! Jackson! Put her in the _Slammer_, and ignore every word that comes out of her shuck mouth."

"What're you talking about?" Thomas asked, angrily. "Alby, you can't-" Alby sent him a death glare. "But…how could you possibly blame her for the walls not closing?"

Newt stepped up, lightly pushing Alby backwards. "How could we not, Tommy? She bloody admitted it herself."

"She said she triggered the _Ending_. Now, I'm pretty sure that doesn't mean she's triggered up the _Creators_ sending up flowers and butterflies. What the hell do you think the word '_Ending_' means to you?"

Thomas looked over at Teresa, his face turning pale once their eyes connected.

"Just be glad you ain't going with her, Thomas," Alby said. He gave the two one last glare before he walked away, giving the signal for the two boys. The two came forward and took Teresa by both arms, taking her away towards the Slammer.

"Stay with her," Newt said, causing the both of them to stop. "I don't care what happens, no one's gonna touch this girl. Swear your lives on it."

The two nodded before they walked off with Teresa behind them.

"Things just keep getting bloody worse," Leo said as she ran her fingers through the wig. What else were the _Creators_ gonna throw at them to make their lives worse?

…

Darkness soon spread over the Glade. Newt and Alby gathered all of the Keepers and put them in charge of getting their groups of works inside the Homestead within the hour and assigning them certain tasks to complete. The Builders had built barricades at each Door. Thomas had helped get items and nailing the wooden planks together. It wasn't great, but it was the best protection they were going to get, especially with the lack of supplies.

All the flashlights in the Glade were gathered and handed out to as many people as needed. Newt had planned for everyone to sleep in the Homestead that night, then kill the lights expect for emergency situations.

Frypan had been ordered to take all of the non-perishable food out and store it inside the Homestead. Minho was ordered to gather all weapons from the basement and store them inside the main building. Others were gathering little supplies and tools and also storing them.

Leo had been ordered to make sure every Glader had made it inside the Homestead before shutting and locking the doors. She was also on guard duty for the night. For some strange reason – though she knew her body wouldn't be able to handle it – she had volunteered to keep watch that whole night with a knife in her hands and not sleep.

And though there were others who had also volunteered, Alby had decided to give her the job. Maybe that was because he trusted her more, or maybe because it knew it would be hopeless no matter who was on guard, but whatever it was, it made her feel a little bit more respected in the Glade.

Newt had protested quite a bit, which made Alby a little bit suspicious but he shrugged it off as just him being worried for a friend. Which was good because the two really didn't need any more people questioning their relationship.

Newt headed over to the Bloodhouse with Leo close behind. Newt was checking to see if there was anything else they might need, while Leo was making sure everyone had left and gone to the Homestead.

"Newt!" Thomas shouted as he ran over to them. "You have to listen to me."

Newt suddenly stopped, which caused Leo to bump into the back of him and almost fall over. He caught her by the arm and quickly helped her back up.

"Thanks for the warning Newt," she said with a playful glare.

"Sorry," he said as he let go of her arm. Once she was stable, he turned back to Thomas with a glare. "Make it quick."

"You've gotta let the girl go. Teresa."

"Ah, glad to know you guys are buddies now." He started walking away. "Don't waste my time, Tommy."

Thomas grabbed hold of his arm, stopping him. "Listen to me! There's something about her – I think she and I were sent here to help end this whole thing."

"Yeah – end it by letting the bloody Grievers waltz in here and kill us? I've heard some sucky plans in my day, Greenie, but that's got 'em all beat."

Thomas groaned. "No, I don't think that's what it means – the walls not closing."

"Greenie, what're you yapping about?"

"I think…I think we're here as part of some weird experiment, or test, or something like that. But it's supposed to end somehow. We can't live here forever – whoever sent us here wants it to end. One way or another."

"Do you not understand the word 'end'? Doesn't usually imply good things," Leo said.

"That's not the point-"

"Then what is? That we're just test subjects and that you and this girl are our saviours who are coming to our rescue?"

"No, that's not what I mean!"

"And that's supposed to convince me that everything's jolly – that I should let the girl go? Because she came and everything is suddenly do-or-die?"

"No, you're missing the point again-"

"Thomas, why are you so persistent to defend her? She came and triggered the end, our deaths Thomas! We're all going to die because those Grievers are gonna come through those _Doors_ and slaughter us!" Leo shouted.

"I don't think she has anything to do with us being here. She's just a pawn – they sent her here as our last tool or hint or whatever to help us get out. And I think they sent me, too. Just because she was the trigger for the _Ending_ doesn't make her bad."

_It does to me…_

"You know what, I don't bugging care right now. She can handle one night in there – if anything, she'll be safer than us."

"Yeah, while we get slaughtered, she be all nice and happy inside the _Slammer_," Leo said as she folded her arms.

Thomas nodded. "Okay, we get through tonight, somehow. Tomorrow, when we have a whole day of safety, we can figure out what to do with her. Figure out what we're supposed to do."

"Tommy, what's gonna make tomorrow any different? It's been two bloody years, ya know?"

"Because now we have to solve it. We'll be forced to. We can't live that way anymore, day to day, thinking that what matters most is getting back to the _Glade_ before the _Doors_ close, snug and safe."

Newt thought for a moment. "Dig deeper. Stay out there while the walls move."

"Exactly! That's exactly what I'm talking about. And maybe we could barricade or blow up the entrance to the _Griever Hole_. Buy time to analyse the _Maze_."

"Alby's the one who won't let the girl out," Newt said. "That guy's not too high on you two shanks. But right now we just gotta slim ourselves and get to the Wake-up."

Thomas nodded. "We can fight 'em off."

"Done it before, haven't you, Hercules?" Newt walked away, yelling at the other _Gladers_ to quickly finish up their jobs.

Thomas looked at her once more with pleading eyes, but she shook her head as she walked away, shouting at everyone to get inside the _Homestead_ quickly. She ran over to the front door as she watched everyone pass her as the entered the building. Thomas stepped inside, then followed by Newt.

Leo was the last inside before she shut the door behind her, latching it shut as the first moan from the _Grievers_ came from inside the _Maze_. The _Keepers_ had organised and distributed the _Gladers_ throughout all the rooms inside the _Homestead_, along with the blankets and pillows, and since she wasn't going to be sleeping tonight, she had given hers to Emil.

Another boy had offered to take up the guard duty alongside her, so Alby made him stay on the lower floor to guard all those rooms while Leo would take the upstairs floor. The only people at that moment who were upstairs with her were Thomas, Newt, Alby and Minho. Alby and Newt had taken the bed while Thomas and Minho took their chairs next to it, leaving Leo to lean against the doorframe.

"Closest I've come so far," Newt said, "to hangin' it all up. _Shuck_ it all and kiss a _Gr_iever goodnight. Supplies cut, bloody grey skies, walls not closing. But we can't give up, and we all know it. The buggers who sent us here either want us dead or they're givin' us a spur. This or that, we gotta work our arses off till we're dead or not dead."

Thomas nodded. Alby stared at the floor, lost in his thoughts.

"Alby?" Newt asked. "Are you gonna pitch in?"

Alby looked up. "Huh? Oh. Yeah. Good that. But you've seen what happens at night. Just because _Greenie_ the freaking super boy made it doesn't mean the rest of us can."

Thomas rolled his eyes.

"I'm with Thomas and Newt," Minho said. "We gotta quit boohooing and feeling sorry for ourselves. Tomorrow morning, first thing, you guys can assign teams to study the Maps full-time while the _Runners_ go out. We'll pack our stuff _shuck_-full so we can stay out there a few days."

"What?" Alby asked. "What do you mean, days?"

"I mean, days. With open _Doors_ and no sunset, there's no point in coming back here, anyway. Time to go stay out there and see if anything opens up when the walls move. If they still move."

"No way. We have the _Homestead_ to hide in – and if that ain't workin', the _Map_ _Room_ and the _Slammer_. We can't freaking ask people to go out there and die, Minho! Who'd volunteer for that?"

"Me," Minho said. "And Thomas."

"I will if I have to," Newt said. "And I'm sure all the _Runners_'ll do it."

"With your bum leg?" Alby asked. Newt looked down at the ground.

"I don't feel good askin' _Gladers_ to do something if I'm not bloody willing to do it myself," Newt said.

"Whatever. Do what you want."

"Do what I want? What's wrong with you, man? Are you tellin' me we have a choice? Should we just sit around on our butts and wait to be snuffed by the _Grievers_?"

"Well, it sounds better than running to them."

"Alby. You gotta start talkin' reason."

Alby took a deep a breath, looking at them all. "You guys know I'm all screwed up. Seriously, I'm…sorry. I shouldn't be the stupid leader anymore."

"Oh bloody-"

"No!" Alby shouted. "That's not what I meant. Listen to me. I ain't saying we should switch or any of that _klunk_. I'm just saying…I think I need to let you guys make the decisions. I don't trust myself. So…yeah, I'll do whatever."

"Uh…okay," Newt said slowly. "We'll make I work, I promise. You'll see."

"Yeah," Alby muttered. Then, there was a long pause before anyone spoke. "Hey, tell you what. Put me in charge of the Maps. I'll freaking work every _Glader_ to the bone studying those things."

"Works for me," Minho said.

"Ya know, it was really stupid for us to sleep in here tonight. We should've been out in the _Map Room_, working."

Minho shrugged. "Probably right."

"Well…I'll go," Alby said. "Right now."

Leo moved in front of the door, preventing him from leaving.

"Forget that, Alby," Newt said. "Already heard the bloody _Grievers_ moaning out there. We can wait till the wake-up."

"Hey, you _shucks_ are the one giving all the pep talks. Don't start whining when I actually listen. If I'm gonna do this, I gotta do it, be the old me. I need something to dive into."

Alby stood up. "Seriously, I need this." He moved towards the door. "Leo, get out of my way."

"No way in _shuckin_' hell!"

"You can't be serious," Newt said. "You can't go out there now!"

"I'm going, and that's that. Leo. Move."

"No. You're not goin' out there."

"Move." Somehow his strength increased as he pushed her out of the way, making her land roughly on the ground which caused her to whimper. He quickly unlocked the door and headed out. "See you _shucks_ in the morning."

The door shut behind him and Newt tisked. Leo sat up, rubbing her head. "Bloody _shuck_-face," she groaned as she got back up to standing, but she got dizzy very quick. She quickly grabbed onto one of the chairs to keep her balance until her vision turned back to normal.

"You alright?" Newt asked as he walked over.

"I'm fine. Just a bit dizzy."

"Better kiss it and make it better," Minho said with smirk as he noticed Newt's concern.

"Shut it over there!" Leo said as she pointed at him.

* * *

Day Seventy – Part One – The "Ending" – The "Glade"

The _Gladers_ had no started to make themselves "comfortable" as they tried to sleep. A few of the _Gladers_ – which included Emil – had been placed on the upper room as there was no room left on the lower floor. Chuck was left behind on the lower floor, which made him probably scared out of his mind.

Leo remained standing as she watched most of the _Gladers_ sleeping. Newt had been given the bed because of his leg, and no matter how much she wanted to lie down and sleep, she knew she had to remain standing for the safety of the others. She kept the flashlight in her left hand – though it was turned off – and the long knife in her right hand. She wondered if she would need to use it that night, and she really hoped that she didn't have to.

The anticipation of sitting in the silence of the night was driving her insane, knowing that something was outside and could attack at any minute made her shake. Even if she wasn't forced to stay awake, she probably wouldn't be able to fall asleep from pure terror.

She listened through the distant walls for the _Grievers_ as they got closer and closer as the night dragged on, the minute seeming to last longer than they should.

Another hour passed. Then another. But yet, nothing.

To keep herself from falling asleep, she resorted to imagining all the possibilities of what her life could have been if she wasn't trapped in the _Glade_. A happy family, a comfortable home, no dangerous creatures, a good night sleep, a shower, more than one pair of clothing. As she thought of all these things, time seemed to go a little faster, but she had to stop before she would burst into tears of how horrid her life was.

It was about two in the morning when she decided to take a glance out the window, wondering why it seemed so peaceful even though those things were roaming around the _Glade_. As she looked at the _Gladers_ in the room, especially taking a longer glance at Minho, Thomas and of course Newt, she didn't know how she would be able to survive if they didn't survive the night.

And then, everything changed.

A loud surge of machinery sounded from right outside, followed by the rolling clicks of the _Griever_ on the ground. Leo made her grip even tighter on the knife as she faced between the door and window, ready to attack at any second.

Thomas shot to his feet, as did most of the other _Gladers_.

Newt was up before any of them as he quickly quietened the room down. Carefully, he walked over towards Leo as he lightly touched her arm to stop her from shaking. Her insides felt like they were twisting as she felt like she was going to be sick. She felt lightheaded as she tried to breathe without hyperventilating and she felt her fingers start to tingle.

Newt slowly took her hand as he tiptoed over to the window which had been covered by three nailed boards. There were large cracks which allowed for plenty of space to see outside the window.

Leo shook her head, telling him not to look, but he pulled her a little closer to him as they took a look outside, telling her it was going to be alright. Thomas – being the curious idiot that he was – crept up behind them to also have a look.

Outside, there was nothing expect the _Glade_, which made Leo feel even more paranoid and panicked than she normally would be. Giving up, Thomas sat with his back against the wall while Newt slowly walked back over to the bed and sat down. A few minutes passed, various sounds from the _Grievers_ came every ten to twenty seconds. The squeal of the small engines, followed by the grinding spin of metal, the clicking of spikes against stones.

Emil ran up to hide right behind Leo, clutching onto the back of her shirt. She tried to push him off, and even Newt had whispered him to back away, but he wouldn't budge. He was like a leech. She could hear him whimper and sob every time the _Griever_ made any kind of noise.

It sounded like there were about three or four of them outside.

The sound was so close like they were right outside the _Homestead_. Leo was shaking as she clutched hold of her knife. She had no idea why anyone with a brain would have given her the job to guard and keep them all safe.

Everyone in the room was silent as no one moved or even made a sound.

She could hear it coming closer, clicking against the stones that sent shivers up her spine. She could picture the horrific body and its horrific attachments and the way it hunted them like food. It was climbing up towards their room, shredding the wood in its path as it tore and rotated it around. The whole building started shuddering.

The snapping of the wood became even louder as it got closer. All of the _Gladers_ shuffled across the room as far away as possible from the window. Newt grabbed hold of Leo's waist and quickly pulled her back into his hold and away from the window. Emil clung onto her side as he couldn't hold her back which made him very upset.

Then, the noises stopped.

Lights flickered, casting beams through the cracks in the wooden boards. A thin shadow stopped the light as it moved back and forth. That would have been one of the _Griever_'s weapons that was searching for them.

Suddenly, the door slammed open. Everyone in the room panicked, screaming. Leo turned around the fastest as she held the knife forward, ready to stab if necessary. But, she almost dropped it once she saw who was standing there.

"Gally?" she asked, causing the rest of the _Gladers_ to turn to the door.

His clothes were filthy and almost torn to shreds as he dropped down to his knees, his chest heaving. He looked around the room like he was a rabid dog, searching for something that he could sink his teeth into.

"They'll kill you!" he screamed, spit flying out of his mouth. "The _Grievers_ will kill you – one every night till it's over."

He staggered to his feet, walking forward as he dragged his right leg behind him with a heavy limp. He stopped, standing just a few feet in front of Thomas, Newt and Leo; he pointed at Thomas with a bloody finger.

"You. It's all your fault!" He swung his left hand, forming into a fist and punching Thomas in the left ear. He cried out as he crumpled to the ground. He scrambled to his feet as soon as he'd hit the floor.

Newt pushed Gally away. Gally stumbled backwards and crashed into the desk by the window. The lamp fell off the side and smashed into thousands of pieces on the ground.

"It can't be solved," he said. "The shuck _Maze_'ll kill all you shanks…The _Griever_'s kill you…once every night till it's over…I…Its better this way…They'll only kill you one a night…their stupid Variables…"

"Gally, you're scaring me. Speak some sense," Leo said, holding the knife close to her.

"Gally, shut your bloody hole – there's a _Griever_ right out the window. Just sit on your butt and be quiet – maybe it'll go away," Newt said.

"You don't get it, Newt. You're too stupid – you've always been too stupid. There's no way out – there's no way to win! They're gonna kill you, all of you – one by one!"

Screaming out the last word, he threw himself at the window, tearing off the wooden boards like a caged animal that had gone insane.

"No!" Newt yelled as he ran forward, Thomas following to help.

Gally ripped off the second board when Newt had reached him. He had swung the board backwards, connecting with Newt's head which spent him sprawling across the bed, a small bit of blood dripping onto the sheets.

"Gally! Control yourself!" Leo shouted as she ran forward. As she charged, she noticed them something that was previously in her hand was missing.

The knife.

She quickly grabbed hold of him, trying to pin him down to the ground. "Get off me!" he screamed as he fought with her, both of them trying to overpower the other.

"Gally! What're you doing?" Thomas yelled.

"You shut your _shuck_-face, Thomas. You shut up! I know who you are, but I don't care anymore. I can only do what's right."

He grabbed hold of Leo's arms, lifting her up into the air and chucking her across the room. She screamed as her back slammed against the wall, her body crumbling as her vision doubled.

Gally went back and removed the last board off the window. The instant it was removed, the glass from the window exploded, sending glass straight into the room. Thomas covered his face as he fell to the floor, kicking his legs to scoot him as far away as possible.

Leo tried to push herself to her feet, but she kept stumbling. There was a _Griever_ squirming halfway through the destroyed window, the metallic arms snapping and clawing in all directions. Everyone else had fled to the hallway, leaving only her, Thomas, Gally and an unconscious Newt.

As her vision started to clear, one of the _Griever_'s long arms reached for Newt and she quickly charged for it. She tried to kick the arm reaching for him and it retracted right before she would have made an impact. She flew right past it and landed against the wall near the window, the pieces of shattered glass stabbing through her shirt and stabbing the skin in her lower back. She screamed in pain as blood dripped down her back and onto the floor.

"No one ever understood!" Gally screamed over the noises of the _Grievers_. "No one ever understood what I saw, what the _Changing_ did to me! Don't go back to the real world, Thomas! You don't…want…to remember!"

Gally looked over Leo on the ground, then to Thomas before he dove onto the body of the _Griever_. Thomas yelled out as he watched the arms of the creature latch onto Gally's arms and legs. Gally's body sank several inches into the creature's squishy flesh, making a horrible squelching sound. The _Griever_ quickly pushed itself back outside the shattered window frame and heading back down to the ground. It scooted across the _Glade_, his body being carried off as the _Griever_ exited the _Glade_ and headed into the depths of the _Maze_. Then, the other _Grievers_ followed suit.

Leo's vision doubled again from the pain as she felt sick, vomiting on the floor next to her blood, which made her gag again. Newt had regained consciousness as he rushed over to her, helping her stand.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

She groaned as she rested her head against his chest, holding her close. She stumbled as she tried to regain her balance, but his grip helped her.

Thomas screamed, yelling at something that had appeared outside the window. _Gladers_ were running out of the _Homestead_, everyone yelling at each other and panicking. A couple of boys were crying in the corner.

Chaos had taken over.

Thomas ran into the hallways, leaping down the stairs and tearing out of the _Homestead_ towards the _West Door_.

"Tommy!" Newt yelled, taking a step before he realised who he was holding. "You okay to run?" he asked her.

"…I-I'll be fine," she stuttered.

Newt quickly grabbed hold of a small towel and her hand, both of them running out of the door and out into the _Glade_, noticing that Thomas had stopped.

"Tommy! Stop!" Newt yelled, trying to catch up.

"Minho followed it out there!" Thomas yelled. As Newt held the towel to his head to stop the bleeding, a patch of blood seeped through the white material.

"I saw," Newt said. He pulled the towel away and grimaced, putting it back to his head. Leo touched his cheek, reassuring him. "_Shuck_ it hurts like a mother. Minho must've finally fries his last brain cells – not to mention Gally. Always knew he was crazy."

"I'm going after him."

"Time to be the bloody hero again?"

"You think I do things to impress you _shanks_? Please. All I care about is getting out of here."

"Yeah, well, you're a regular toughie. But right now we've got worse problems."

"What?"

"Somebody-"

"There he is!" Thomas shouted, seeing Minho turn the corner and ran straight at them. "What were you doing, idiot?!"

Minho bent over, his hand on his knees as he sucked in a few breaths. "I just…wanted to….make sure."

"Make sure of what?" Newt asked. "Lotta good you'd be, taken with Gally."

"Slim it, boys! I just wanted to see if they went toward the _Cliff_. Toward the _Griever Hole_."

"And?" Thomas asked.

"Bingo."

"I just can't believe it," Newt said. "What a night."

Minho looked over at Leo and gasped. "What the hell happened to you?"

She gulped before she answered, groaning from the pain in her back. Newt could see the blood dripping from her black shirt and he felt even more pain than from his own injury.

"Tossed at walls…don't feel good…knife stolen…"

"We need to get you to the _Med Jacks_," he said, gently wrapping an arm around her so she could keep her balance. He was about to walk off with her when Thomas interrupted them.

"What! What were you about to tell me?" Thomas asked. "You said we had worse-"

"Yeah. You can still see the bugging smoke."

Thomas looked, as did Leo and they saw the _Map Room_'s door slightly agar. There was a trail of black smoke drifting from the room and into the already grey sky.

"Somebody burned the Map trunks," Newt said. "Every last one of 'em."

Thomas – not really caring or seeing a problem with it – headed over to the _Slammer_, obviously to check on Teresa.

"You deal with the Maps," Newt said to Minho. "I'll get this one to the _Med Jacks_."

Minho nodded. "Get better _shank_," he said to Leo, patting her on the head before he quickly ran over to the _Map Room_.

"You ready?" Newt asked as he looked at her.

"…Maps burnt…Knife stolen…Emil gone…Not feeling good…"

Newt's eyes widened as her's closed as her body went limp, him quickly catching her before she fell to the ground unconscious.


	24. Chapter Twenty-Four

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own The Maze Runner nor any of the characters from it.

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR:**

Grievers Attack: Crafting Time With Maps…

* * *

Day Seventy – Part Two – The "Ending" – The "Glade"

As Leo opened her eyes, she noticed that she was still lying in the middle of the _Glade_ where she had previously collapsed from the pain. Clint was now in front of her while Newt had gone to check on an unconscious Alby.

She winced suddenly when Clint's hand softly touched her back, making her sit up, but she immediately regretted it once she felt the pain increase.

"Ouch," Leo groaned.

"Whoa," Clint said as he moved backwards, startled by her sudden outburst. He didn't even know that she was awake. She looked around the _Glade_, noticing that most of them were panicking about the fire in the _Map Room _that continued to burn.

"H-How long was I out?" she groaned out.

"Only a couple minutes, _shank_," Clint said as he sat himself down. "You alright?"

She nodded, pushing herself up as she ignored the burning pain that increased in her back. "You're shirts covered in blood!"

Clint rushed closer, slightly lifting up her shirt to inspect the damage. Luckily, it had only gotten the lower half of her back, which meant that he wouldn't have to see the binding wrapped around her chest. Also, the damage was revealed to be small cuts, but everyone knows that paper cuts hurt the most, and it felt so much similar to one of those, but multiplied by ten.

"We're gonna need some bandages on those."

She nodded as he took some out of his pocket, slowly wrapping them around her back until they were fully secure. The blood quickly seeped through the bandage, so Clint sighed. "I'll have to get some more," he said as he headed over to the _Homestead_.

She slowly stood up as she walked over to Newt, who had been taking care of Alby until they could find Jeff. She placed her hand on his shoulder, using him to balance herself as she sat back down next to him.

"How's he doing?" she asked.

He turned his head to meet hers, his eyes widening once he noticed she was alive. He quickly grabbed hold of her and pulled her into his arms. She winced and whimpered once he'd touched her back, but she would have screamed if it was anyone else.

"Watch the back," she muttered, which made him quickly let go of her.

"Sorry," he said, making her shake her head.

"Don't worry about it…" She glanced down at Alby, who had blood dripping down his face. "Was he in the _Map Room_?"

Newt nodded. "Yeah, hit on the back of the head."

"Someone attacked him? But, who would do that?"

"The most likely subject right now is Gally, but he's as good as dead."

"_Newt!"_ a voice shouted, making them turn their heads. What they saw where Minho and Thomas standing in front of them.

"Yeah?" he asked as he stood up, refolding the rag to try and find a clean spot. Leo grimaced when she saw that the entire rag was drenched in Newt and Alby's blood.

Minho pointed down at Alby. "Let the Med Jacks take care of him. We need to talk."

They quickly saw Jeff rushing towards them with bandages in his hands, heading over to Leo as he bent down beside her. He slowly lifted her shirt until he found the other bandage and quickly wrapped it around her. He did that with another one so that she had three bandages wrapped around her lower back.

Newt raised an eyebrow at Minho before he handed the rag to Jeff. "Go find Clint – tell him we got worse problems than guys with bugging splinters."

"Got it," he said as he gave a nod, taking off towards the _Homestead_ to find his fellow Med Jack.

Newt took a step away from Alby before Leo held up her hand. "Wait," she said, making him stop. She quickly grabbed hold of his arm as she pulled herself up so that she was standing beside them. Minho glanced at her with worried eyes, but she shook her head, telling him to focus on whatever he needed.

"Talk about what?" Newt asked.

Minho nodded at Thomas, telling him to speak. "Just come with me," Thomas said, turning and walking over to the _Slammer_.

"Does everything have to revolve around this girl?" Leo whispered to Newt, who just shrugged his shoulders in response.

"Let her out." Thomas folded his arms. "Let her out, and then we'll talk. Trust me – you wanna hear it."

"Tommy, this is-"

"Please. Just open it – let her out. Please."

"How can we trust her?" Minho asked. "Soon as she woke up, the whole place fell to pieces. She even admitted she triggered something."

"Triggered the _Ending_, which is what's happening right now. Our end," Leo said.

"They've got a point," Newt said.

"We can trust her. Every time I've talked to her, it's something about trying to get out of here. She was sent here just like the rest of us – it's stupid to think she's responsible for any of this."

Did he not see that whether or not if it was her intention, she had caused their demise? She wondered if because he found her attractive, he was sticking up for her.

"Then what the bloody shuck did she mean by saying she triggered something?"

Thomas shrugged. "Who knows – her mind was doing all kinds of weird stuff when she woke up. Maybe we all went through that in the _Box_, talking gibberish before we came totally awake. Just let her out."

The three exchanged glances.

"Come on. What's she gonna do, run around and stab every _Glader_ to death? Come on."

"It's possible," Leo said. Thomas glared at her. "What? Anyone could do it."

Minho sighed. "Fine. Just let the stupid girl out."

"I'm not stupid!" Teresa shouted. "And I can hear every word you morons are saying."

"Real sweet girl you picked up, Tommy." He then whispered to Newt. "Aren't you glad you picked Leo instead?"

"Just hurry. I'm sure we have a lot to do before the _Grievers_ come back tonight – if they don't come during the day."

Newt groaned as he stepped up to the _Slammer_, pulling out the keys as he unlocked the door. "Come on."

Teresa walked out, glaring at Newt as she passed, then at Minho and then seemed to give a death glare to Leo. Leo folded her arms, wondering why Teresa had a problem with her since she hadn't directly done anything that the others hadn't done, and the only thing she would have done was not trusted her like Thomas did. Teresa quickly stood beside Thomas, brushing against his arm.

"All right, talk," Minho said. "What's so important?"

Thomas looked at Teresa. "What?" she asked. "You talk – they obviously think I'm a serial killer."

"Yeah, you look so dangerous," Thomas muttered. "Okay, when Teresa was first coming out of her deep sleep, she had memories flashing through her mind. She, um-" He paused. "-She told me later that she remembers that the _Maze_ is a code. That maybe instead of solving it to find a way out, it's trying to send us a message."

"A code?" Leo asked. "And you're serious?"

"A code?" Minho asked. "How's it a code?"

Thomas shook his head. "I don't know for sure - you're way more familiar with the Maps than I am. But I have a theory. That's why I was hoping you guys could remember some of them."

Minho glanced at Newt, his eyebrows raised. Newt nodded.

"What?" Thomas asked. "You guys keep acting like you have a secret."

Minho rubbed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "We hid the Maps, Thomas."

"…Huh?"

"We hid the freaking Maps in the weapons room, put dummies in their place. Because of Alby's warning. And because of the so-called _Ending_ your girlfriend triggered."

Thomas looked over at Newt, who nodded.

"Did you know?" he asked Leo who shrugged.

"I was warned too. Of course I knew. I run the _Maze_, remember?"

"They're all safe and sound," Minho said. "Every last one of those suckers. So if you have a theory, get talking."

"Take me to them," Thomas said. "Okay, let's go."

…

Minho turned on the light, making Leo squint as her eyes tried to adjust to the sudden brightness. She wondered if someone had put her knife back in case she had dropped it when she had charged at Gally, or if someone had actually stolen it and was keeping it for themselves.

She really hoped it wasn't the latter.

"There's a hidden storage closet back here," Minho said as the five walked past some shelves and into a dark corner. "Only a couple of us know about it." He opened the creaking door, pulling out a cardboard box and scraping it across the floor. "I put each trunk's worth in its own box, eight boxes total. They're all in here."

"Which one is this?" Thomas asked as he kneeled down next to it.

"Just open it and see – each page is marked, remember?"

Thomas opened the lid on the box, revealing that the maps were from _Section_ Two, though Leo couldn't remember which _Runner_ would have recorded those.

"Okay," he said. "The _Runners_ have always compared these day to day, looking to see if there was a pattern that would somehow help figure out a way to an exit. You even said you didn't really know what you were looking for, but you kept studying them anyway. Right?"

Minho nodded.

"Well, what if all the wall movements had nothing to do with a map or a maze or anything like that? What if instead the pattern spelled words? Some kind of clue that'll help us escape?"

"How would you be able to think that? Where'd that idea come from?" Leo asked.

Thomas wanted to say it was him, but all he did was nod in the direction of Teresa and she understood.

_How she even know that, or even think that? She's never sen the Maps, she probably didn't even know we had them or what Runners were until Thomas told her…How much does she remember, and how does she remember?_

Minho pointed at the Maps that Thomas held in his hands. "Dude, you have any idea how much we've studied these things? Don't you think we would've noticed if it were spelling out freaking words?"

"Maybe it's too hard to see with the naked eye, just comparing one day to the next. And maybe you weren't supposed to compare one day to the next, but look at it one day at a time?"

Newt laughed. "Tommy, I might not be the sharpest guy in the _Glade_, but sounds like you're talkin' straight out your butt to me."

"Okay, okay," Thomas said, starting over. "You've always had one _Runner_ assigned to one section, right?"

"Right," Minho replied.

"And that _Runner_ makes a Map every day, and then compares it to the Maps from previous days, for that section. What if, instead, you were supposed to compare the eight sections to each other, every day?"

Minho rubbed his chin, nodding. "Yeah, kind of. We tried to see if they made something when put together – of course we did that. We've tried everything."

Thomas studied the Maps in his lap before he bolted his head back up. "Wax paper."

"Huh?" Minho asked. "What the-"

"Just trust me. We need wax paper and scissors. And every black marker and pencil you can find."

"Oh, how exciting. We're gonna be playing Arts and Crafts tonight," she said over to Newt. Thomas quickly led the way out of the room as they headed over to the kitchen where Frypan was located. Of course, he wasn't very happy to hand over a whole box of wax paper, especially since it was a tool he used in cooking. But somehow they had convinced him, though it took a while to do.

It had taken them ten minutes to find pencils and markers – most of them had been located in the _Map Room _so they had been destroyed in the fire. Thomas sat around the worktable with all of the others wondering where he was going with his plan. They hadn't been able to find a pair of scissors, so Thomas had to settle with a knife off the shelf.

"This better be good," Minho sighed.

Newt leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table. "Get on with it, _Greenie_."

"Okay." Thomas handed the knife over to Minho, pointing at the pile of wax paper. "Start cutting rectangles, about the size of the Maps. Newt, Leo and Teresa, can you help me grab the first ten or so Maps from each _Section_ Box."

"What is this, kiddie craft time?" Minho asked. "Why don't you just tell us what the _klunk_ we're doing this for?"

"I'm done explaining." He stoop back up. "It'll be easier to show you. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, and then we can go back to running around the _Maze_ like mice."

Minho sighed. "_Shucking_ ridiculous," he muttered under his breath as he started to cut up the sheets of wax paper.

"Teresa," Thomas said. "Can you help me a second?"

As the two headed off into a different room, Leo rolled her eyes. "Wonder why he called her," she said.

"Wonder why," he said.

"This is so _shucking_ stupid," Minho grumbled.

As Leo went over to one of the Boxes, she opened the lid and found _Section_ 6, the _Section_ that she would usually run.

"Oh Minho, I am glad," Newt replied as he went over to pick up one of the Boxes.

"Who wouldn't be?" he asked with a smirk, making Leo turn around as she carried the box.

"I have this stupid thing on, how is that attractive?" Leo asked as she pointed at the wig she was wearing.

"I like a bit of mystery," Minho said, which made her chuckle. "The good kind of mystery."

As Leo pulled out the first ten pieces, she placed them down onto the table in a neat pile. Newt took ten from the box he was carrying, which had been filled with Maps from _Section_ 3, and placed them down beside hers.

It took a while, but Teresa and Thomas finally came back into the room. By that time, Minho had cut about twenty sheets of the wax paper, making a messy pile of them to his right.

Thomas sat down, grabbing a few of them. He held up one of them to the light, then he grabbed a marker. "All right, everybody trace the last ten or so days onto a piece of this stuff. Make sure you write the info on top so we can keep track of what's what. When we're done, I think we might see something."

Leo glanced down at the Maps, the cogs in her brain starting to turn as she looked up at the light, then down to the Maps. She glanced over at Thomas and nodded at him, telling him that she had figured out his plan.

"What-?" Minho started.

"Just bloody keep cutting," Newt ordered. "I think I know where he's going with this."

Everyone quickly got to work, tracing the Maps onto the wax paper, one by one. They had to be not only quick, but accurate as well – which was easier said than done. Leo's hand steadied as she drew the straight lines easily, whereas Thomas had to use a makeshift ruler. Soon, she had finished five Maps, before she moved onto the next five.

They all were moving at pretty much the same pace.

Box by box, _Section_ by _Section_, they continued.

…

"I've had enough," Newt said, breaking the silence that had fallen over them. "My finger are bloody burning like a mother. See if it's working."

Leo sighed with relief as she chucked her marker down on the table. "Bloody fingers are cramping up," she muttered as she stretched out her fingers, then cracked them to relieve the tension.

Thomas placed his marker down. "Okay, give me the last few days of each section – make piles along the table, in order from _Section_ One to _Section_ Eight. One here-" he pointed to the end "-to Eight here." He pointed to the other end.

Leo grabbed all the sheets that she had traced, and soon they had formed eight low stacks of wax paper. Thomas picked up one page from each pile, laying them down on top of each other, matching them up until they matched the day above and below. Soon, he was able to see all eight _Sections_ at once.

Everyone crowded around him to see the image that had formed. Teresa audibly gasped, while Leo just stared in amazement.

Lines crossed over each other, up and down, but there were dark lines in the middle that seemed to form some kind of image. Though it was subtle, it was definitely.

Sitting in the centre of the page was the letter, _"F"_.

"Man," Minho said.

"Could be a coincidence," Teresa said. "Do more, quick."

Thomas did the same with the other groups, lining them up to see the letter that had formed on the centre of each page. First was _F_, then an _L_, then an _O_, an _A_ and a _T_. Then there was also _C…A_…_T_.

"Look," Thomas said as he pointed to the lines. "It spells _FLOAT _and then it spells _CAT._"

"Float cat?" Newt asked. "Doesn't sound like a bloody rescue code to me."

"We just need to keep working," Thomas said as he got started once again.

…

After a few more combinations, they quickly realised that the second word didn't form the word _CAT_, but actually formed the word _CATCH_.

_FLOAT_ and _CATCH_.

"Definitely not a coincidence," Minho said.

"Definitely not," Thomas agreed.

Teresa gestured toward the storage closet. "We need to go through all of them, all those boxes in there."

"Yeah," Thomas nodded. "Let's get on it."

"We can't help," Minho said.

All four of them looked at him. "At least not me and Thomas and Leo. We need to get the _Runners_ out in the _Maze_."

"What?" Thomas asked. "This is way more important!"

"Maybe," Minho answered, "but we can't miss a day out there. Not now."

"Why, Minho? You said the pattern's basically been repeating itself for months – one more day won't mean a thing."

Minho slammed his hands on the table. "That's bullcrap, Thomas! Of all the days, this might be the most important to get out there. Something might've changed, something might've opened up. In fact, with the freaking walls not closing anymore, I think we should try your idea – stay out there overnight and do some deeper exploring."

"But what about this code? What about-"

"Tommy," Newt said. "Minho's right. You shanks go out and get Runnin'. I'll round up some _Gladers_ we can trust and get workin' on this."

"Me too," Teresa said. "I'll stay and help Newt."

"You sure?" Thomas asked.

She smiled. "If you're going to decipher a hidden code from a complex set of different mazes, I'm pretty sure you need a girl's brain running the show."

Leo picked up the marker again, but this she ended up breaking it right in half. She looked down and quickly realised what she had done and chucked it across the room before the others could see. There was something about Teresa that made her want to pull her hair out and grit her teeth.

"If you say so," Thomas said.

"I can't go," Leo said.

"Leo? We've got to-"

"I can't. My back is injured from the glass shards from the window. I just got them bandaged. There's no way I could run. That wouldn't help me recover anytime soon," she said.

Thomas looked over at Minho, who nodded. "Gotcha _shank_. You stay here, we'll need your brains right here." He rustled her hair, making her clutch onto it.

"Minho!" she whined, pretending to Teresa that it was because she didn't want her hair messed up, but the other three knew it was because of the wig.

Thomas stared at Minho with his eyes wide open, as did Newt. Minho turned to him with a raised eyebrow, before he quickly realised. "Sorry."

She shook her head with a smirk. "Just get out of here."

"Good that." Minho nodded. "Everything's fine and dandy. Come on." He started for the door, only to find that Thomas wasn't following him.

"Don't worry, Tommy," Newt said. "Your girlfriend will be fine."

Thomas glanced at Teresa one last time before he headed out the door, following behind Minho as they made their way out into the _Maze_.

"I guess it's just us now," Teresa said.

"Which way do you want to go?" Leo asked as she and Newt made their way to the door.

"I'll go right, you can go left," Newt said. "Find as many as you can."

She gave a nod as the two stepped outside, feeling the cold breeze hit them. They turned back and saw Teresa standing there in the doorway, taking a step out and stepped onto the grass.

"I'll go too, which way should I go?" she asked as she stood beside them.

Newt looked at Leo for a second before he shrugged. "You two go left, Leo might need some help with her back."

The two gave each other a nod before they headed off their separate ways, Teresa following close behind her as they travelled across the _Glade_, the grey sky still hadn't changed.

"So, where are we going first?" she asked.

"Well, we'll recruit people in a minute, I just need to find something first."

"What do you need? I could help you know, I have quite good eyesight."

"Good eyesight might now help. I need to find my knife."

"Your knife? Couldn't that wait till after we-?"

"No, not since someone stole it last night."

…

Leo looked down at her watch, and saw that it was six o'clock in the morning, the time she would normally be waking up to start work. In that half hour since the start of their search, no _Grievers_ had appeared, so everything seemed back to normal. Most of the _Glade_ had started going back to work.

"So, do you guys normally wake up this early?" Teresa asked as they walked around.

"Yes, every day."

"And when do you guys normally go to sleep?"

"Whenever we feel like it, or when the nightmares don't bother us," Leo replied as she headed over to one of the replacement _Sloppers_ and asked them to help with the Maps. As they continued their journey, Teresa kept asking questions about how the _Glade_ operated and every function they did.

It was starting to bother her.

No wonder Alby hated questions so much.

They had recruited a few people along the way, but Leo still had not been able to find her knife. As the two headed back to the _Homestead_, Leo went up to the upper floor where the _Griever_ had attacked. She looked underneath the bed, behind the furniture, but she still couldn't find it.

But Teresa had found something. She had found the reason why Leo seemed a bit off to her, and why she had rubbed her the wrong way from the start.

Leo sighed as she wiped the sweat from her forehead, ready to head back and start tracing the Maps again. Teresa slammed the door shut as she shoved a chair in front of it, preventing them from leaving and from anyone entering.

"You mind removing the chair so we can leave?" Leo asked as she moved towards the chair.

Teresa pushed her back until she had hit the base of the bed, making her fall onto it as Teresa put a finger to her mouth. "Be quiet. Do you want the others to know?"

"To know about what?" she asked as she pushed herself off the bed.

"Your secret, obviously. We wouldn't want the boys here to know, now would we? Especially since they've gone a long way to make sure it stays a secret."

"Teresa? I have no idea what you're bloody talking about. Can we just go back and sort out the Maps?"

"You're a girl, Leo. You've got on this wig and you've got bandages on your chest. Please, I've figured it out. It's so obvious, I'm surprised the others haven't figured it out."

Leo didn't know how to react. How could she have figured that out in that short amount of time? How was that even possible?

"I think you don't know what you're talking about. That comma must've _shucked_ with your brain or something cause you're just spouting a bunch of bullshit. Now, move, you need to leave."

"I know for certain that you're a girl. I saw you in my memories."

"Exactly! Fake memories from your stupid coma!"

"Would you shut up and let me explain Leo!" Teresa yelled. Leo went silent, waiting for her evidence. "I had seen this…beautiful girl with long, blonde-reddish hair and green eyes…I remember that we kept her hidden from the others so they wouldn't figure it out…We used to dress her up in these amazing outfits so that when the boys did see her, they never would have guessed that she could become a boy…And after seeing you, listening to your accent and the way you spoke, I knew you were her…"

She went silent for a second, before she walked over to the door and removed the door. "I had always disliked that girl…She was everything they wanted…Their favourite…"

And with that, she walked out of the room and headed down the stairs to where the others were tracing the Maps. Leo didn't know what to do. She thought that the lack of sleep was messing with her mind, but in the back of her mind she knew that Teresa was telling the truth about this girl, and that the girl was her.

And knowing that, Teresa scared her even more than before.

…

The day continued on as the group of _Gladers_ that had been selected helped work on the Maps while the others were out in the fields or slaughtering the remaining animals for food.

During their work, Leo kept glancing at Teresa, wondering how she remembered any of those things or how she could have figured out that the two girls were the same person. She was scared of how much Teresa knew, and how calm she spoke about it when she said that Leo had been _"their favourite."_

Who's favourite? Who had both of them met that made her think like that. And who had dressed her up and kept her away from the boys so they wouldn't figure it out? It made her blood turn to ice as she thought about it.

Newt quickly noticed how uncomfortable and fidgety she was, so he told her to take a break and get some fresh air at about ten o'clock that night. She had never left the room faster than she did that night. The cold breeze hit her, making her sigh in relief as she took deep breaths.

Thomas and Minho had been inside the _Maze_ that entire time, and she guessed they would most likely be in there till the next morning. She kind of wished she was out there instead, rather than being in the _Glade_ where the _Grievers_ could attack at any minute.

She sighed, running a hand through her wig as she looked over the darkened _Glade_.

Well, almost darkened.

The familiar lights shined through the _Glade_ as she screamed, running back inside the room and slamming the door shut.

"Leo! What the _shucking_ hell!" one of them shouted, jumping out of their seats.

"Leo? What's wrong? What did you see?" Newt asked as he rushed over to the door.

"The _Grievers_. They're coming into the _Glade_…"


	25. Chapter Twenty-Five

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own The Maze Runner nor any of the characters from it.

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE:**

Grievers Attack: Stinging Oneself's More Trouble Than It's Worth…

* * *

Day Seventy-One – The "Ending" – The "Glade"

That night had been just as bad as the last night. Some had ran out of the room in a panic and out in the _Glade_, not knowing what to do. Without order, they had no idea what they were supposed to do. It took a while, like last time, for the _Grievers_ to actually get close to the _Homestead_ to attack.

It was about two in the morning before they heard one of the boys scream out in agony. Newt and Leo quickly rushed over to the window to see one of the _Gladers_ being carried off into the _Maze_, screaming as he flailed and tried to escape. One of the _Gladers_ had tried to fight off the _Griever_, but it was no use. He was hit in the head as he was knocked to the ground as all of the _Grievers_ retreated with the other boy in their clasp.

As it took less time for them to actually grab hold of one of the _Gladers_, this meant that Thomas and Minho must have encountered some in the _Maze_ and stopped them from advancing to the _Glade_.

Or, the _Gladers_ screams made it much easier for them to capture them.

It may seem heartless of the rest of the _Gladers_, but it was only half an hour later before everyone was back to work that morning as they continued to trace the Map patterns. What they found though after the gruelling night's work was something that might have made the night better if they could figure out what it meant.

"What the _shuck_ does that even mean?" Newt asked as he sat at the table, staring at all the Maps in confusion.

"They're just a jumble of bloody words," Leo said as she placed her marker down on the table, folding her arms over her chest.

It was now six in the morning and most of the _Gladers_ had left to go and do work outside in the _Glade_. Most of the _Gladers_ had been able to sleep after the _Griever_ attacks, but Newt and Leo couldn't sleep a wink. Teresa was the first to fall asleep as she slept through most of the _Griever_ attack and only woke when someone had bumped into her by accident.

Either Teresa had no guilty conscious or she was just a heavy sleeper.

"Newt! Leo!" a _Glader_ shouted as they sprinted into the room, huffing and puffing from the lack of air.

"What's happened?" Newt asked as he stood up, moving over to the door.

"Thomas and Minho…they're back…"

The two quickly looked at each other before they nodded, the boy leading the way as they headed over to the two _Runners_ who stood at the doors, both looking tired and famished.

Newt limped over to them and Leo ran behind, her back still burning but not as bad as the night before.

"You're the first to come back," Newt said once they'd reached them. "What happened? Tell me you've got good news."

Minho stared at a spot of the grey sky in the distance, his eyes saddened. "Nothing. The _Maze_ is a big freaking joke."

"What's he talking about?" Newt asked to Thomas.

"He's just discouraged. We didn't find anything different. The walls haven't moved, no exits, nothing. Did the _Grievers_ come last night?"

"Yeah, they did," Leo said.

"They took Adam," Newt finished.

"I'm sick of this!" Minho spat. "I'm sick of it! It's over! It's all over!" He took his backpack and threw it down to the ground. "There's no exit, never was, never will be. We're all _shucked_."

Minho stomped off towards the _Homestead_, Newt saying nothing as he followed him to try and calm him down.

"What happened out there?" Leo asked as she looked behind her, then back at Thomas.

"I have no idea," he stated honestly.

"You're plan better work soon Thomas. One by one, we'll all lose our faith of ever getting out of here. And what we really need right now is some hope. So I really hope you're plan works, 'cause otherwise they'll be no chance in saving us." She walked off to the _Homestead_, leaving Thomas standing there speechless as he watched the three leave.

…

The other _Runners_ had returned during the hour, but none of them had found anything new and had basically given up. Most of the _Gladers_ had now abandoned their jobs as they saw no point.

The _Glade_ was falling apart.

Newt lead Thomas into the room to see the end result of the _Maps_. "Minho still hasn't shown up. Sometimes he turns into a bugging hothead."

Several _Gladers_, including Leo and Teresa, stood around the table. All of them were exhausted from the lack of sleep. Leo and Newt where one of the only people though who hadn't gotten a bit of sleep in over 48 hours now, and it clearly was affecting them.

The room was a mess. Piles and piles of paper were scattered and thrown around the room, making it look like a tornado had gone through.

Leo glanced over at Newt, wishing that both of them would be able to sleep. She wanted all of this stress and torture to be over with so that everyone could go back to their normal selves. If Teresa hadn't shown up in the _Box_, none of this would be happening to them right now, whether it was her intention or not.

"Come check this out," Teresa said, hiding a smirk.

"I'll get down on my knees and kiss your bloody feet if you can figure it out," Newt said.

Thomas walked over to Teresa, eager to see what they had discovered from his plan. "No doubt this is right," she said as she handed him a piece of paper. "Just don't have a clue what it means."

Written on that piece of paper were the numbers 1-6 running down the left side, a word next to each number.

_1 – FLOAT_

_2 – CATCH_

_3 – BLEED _

_4 – DEATH_

_5 – STIFF_

_6 – PUSH_

That was all they had found. Those single six words.

"That's all?" Thomas asked. "Are you sure they're in the right order?" Everyone could tell that he was disappointed with what'd they found.

Teresa took the piece of paper back. "The _Maze_ has been repeating those words for months – we finally quit when that became clear. Each time, after the word _PUSH,_ it goes a full week without any letter at all, and then it starts over again with _FLOAT_. So we figured that's the first word, and that's the order."

"Cheerful, don't ya think?" Newt asked.

"I especially like the words _BLEED_ and _DEATH_," Leo said as she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah," Thomas said, giving an annoyed groan. "We need to get Minho down here – maybe he knows something we don't. If we just had more clues-"

Suddenly, he stopped as he froze.

"Thomas?" Leo asked.

He grabbed hold of the shelves to keep his balance as a sudden dizzy spell hit him, causing him to stumble.

"Thomas?" Leo asked again.

"Tommy?" Newt asked. "What's wrong with you? Your face just went white as a ghost."

"Thomas? You okay?"

Thomas shook his head. "Oh…nothing, sorry. My eyes are hurting – I think I need some sleep." He rubbed his temples.

"Well," Newt said as he squeezed Thomas' shoulder. "You spent all bloody night out in the _Maze_ – take a nap."

Thomas looked over at Teresa, then Newt and finally Leo. He remembered what she had said to him not to long ago, and now he was worried that her statement was actually going to come true. But, he had figured out an idea of what needed to be done.

He nodded as he headed out of the room. Leo looked over at Newt before she gestured to the door. He seemed to understand as he nodded, leaving the room as he walked down the stairs. She was about to follow when Teresa grabbed hold of her arm.

"I think you should keep an eye out. Somebody's out to get you," she said, suddenly letting go of her, making Leo stumble. "It's not me though, but with your knife stolen, I'd sleep with one eye open, if you can even sleep."

Not being to take anymore, Leo ran out the door, down the stairs and into the _Glade_ to find Newt. She knew he would have gone to the _Deadheads_, and once she found him she clung onto him, her body shaking. The pain in her back started again and she knew that her cuts had started to bleed again.

"Hey, what's going on?" he asked as he slowly wrapped his arms around her, being careful not to scrap her back.

Could she tell him about Teresa and what she knows? No. Could she tell him about her warning? Well, in a way. Just, don't mention her name.

"I just…wanted to be away from…them," she said, making him nod as he pulled her closer.

"Yeah, I know the feeling."

The two enjoyed the comfortable silence as they stayed in each other's embrace. But Leo had so many things running through her mind that she started panicking again, her breaths becoming faster as she started to hyperventilate as tears slowly fell from her eyes.

"Leo, what's wrong? What happened?" he asked, his eyes widening, thinking he had done something wrong.

"I-I think…someone's out to…to k-kill me."

"What are you talking about? No one's out to kill you? Who told you that?"

"M-My knife...was stolen out of my hands…"

"And you're sure you didn't drop it?"

"Of course I'm sure!" she shouted as the tears poured down her face. "It was in my hands, then it was gone! I didn't bloody lose it!"

"Leo, please"

"You don't understand Newt! Someone has my knife! They've taken it! What if I fall asleep and then they come and slit my throat! What then?! Huh?!"

"Leo, no one's out to get you," he said as he grabbed hold of her shoulders, making her stop. "I promise."

"But…w-what if…what if someone-"

"I'll kill them before they could get to you, good that?" he asked, giving her a sincere smile that made her heart melt.

She pulled him close to her as she kissed his cheek. "Good that."

He slowly lifted her chin with his finger. "I promise. Nothing's gonna hurt you while I'm here." He rubbed his thumb over her cheeks as he caught the tears before they fell. She stood on her tippy toes as she kissed him.

It had been so long since the two of them had been alone, and she never knew how much she had missed it until she had the opportunity to experience it again. It was like his kisses were the drug that she was addicted to, and she knew there was no way she would be able to stop from getting addicted to the sweet high.

…

To keep herself distracted throughout the day, Leo headed out into the _Glade_ with a shovel and an empty bucket in her hands. There were many fruits and plants that were ready to be picked, and so that nobody in the _Glade_ starved, she would be getting them and giving them to Frypan so he could serve them to the hungry _Gladers_.

She bent down onto the ground and started shovelling the dirt away from the plants, giving her memories of her days as a _Track Hoe_ after her first month of being in the _Glade_. During those days, she didn't have much to worry about. She just went through her days without having to worry about death lurking at every corner during the night.

How she missed those days.

She was one of the only people who were outside doing their jobs. Winston was inside the _Bloodhouse_, slaughtering the last few animals that they had. Chuck was out cleaning up any remaining mess in the _Glade_. Frypan was cooking most things he could find. Zart was helping her pick all the fruits and vegetables. Thomas was avoiding everyone as he sat in the forest by himself and Minho still hadn't been seen.

As she dug up the soil, she ripped out the fruits and vegetables with her bare hands, chucking them into the bucket next to her. She had gotten about ten fruits and five vegetables before the bucket was completely filled. Luckily, Zart had a similar amount stored in his bucket, so the two quickly headed over to the kitchen and dumped them down so Frypan could use them.

Then, they went back and did the same thing until everything had been picked and there was nothing left in their _Garden_. It almost made her sad to see, but she sucked it up, knowing that she would be able to get out of here soon. But, she couldn't help but feel a little tinge at her heart from the memories formed inside the _Glade_ with all of the _Gladers_, even the ones she'd rather not mention.

As she finished, she headed over to the bathrooms to wash as much of the dirt off as she could. Dirt covered her face, her hands, her clothes and her wig had specks inside it as well. But, as she stared at herself in the mirror, she wondered if it really mattered. If they were all going to possibly die, did it really matter if she went out clean or dirty? She decided to wash her hands and clean up her face, not really worrying about her clothing.

Besides, everyone else was covered with scratches and dirt.

Well, everyone expect Teresa.

But that was probably because she didn't do much during the day.

So much had happened during the past few days that she had forgotten about the scars that were on her neck from her night in the _Maze_. They didn't hurt much anymore, as the pain in her back distracted her from that. Just to make sure, she quickly adjusted her wig in the mirror to make sure it was secure before she headed back out into the grey, dull _Glade_.

She wished she could feel the sun – whether it was real or not – on her skin, but it was still as grey as it was since everything first changed.

She looked down at her watch, noticing that it was around six at night, meaning that dinner would soon be served. She could hear most of the _Gladers_ chatting and laughing as she headed over to the kitchen.

All they were served were a bunch of biscuits and tomato soup which he made from the freshly picked ones, but it was at least something that could get them through the night. She hadn't even noticed how hungry she was until the food was right in front of her face. She sat at a table with Newt, Thomas, Teresa, Chuck and a very emotionless Emil as they talked about the plan for tonight.

And of course, the end result wasn't pretty.

The _Builders_ had boarded up the holes left by the _Grievers_ and Gally, and it didn't look very safe but it would be good enough for at least the night.

Newt and Alby – who now walked around with a bandage wrapped around his head – insisted on everyone to rotate in which room they slept each night.

Leo was stuck on the largest room on the lower floor, surrounded by most of the _Gladers_, including Newt, Minho – who had finally returned, Alby, Thomas, Emil and unfortunately, Teresa. But of course, she was curled up in two blankets, fast asleep.

Newt and Leo exchanged glances as he mouthed at her "_How is that possible?"_

Leo just shrugged her shoulders in reply, not really sure of anything. Emil hid behind her in the dark corner of the room, not wanting to see anyone as he tried to sleep against her back. But he kept twitching from nerves and he couldn't stay asleep for more than two minutes at a time.

She stared at the door, wondering when the _Grievers_ would barge through and take one of them into the _Maze_ to be eaten and brutally murdered. She noticed a lot of the _Gladers_ tossing and turning as they tried to sleep, panic running through their system, preventing sleep. Thomas had tried to force himself to sleep, but that didn't work.

As the night dragged on, she started to panic again, the anticipation killing her along with the silence. Newt slowly reached for her hand, interlocking their fingers as he held a finger to his mouth, trying to help her calm down. It took another hour of him whispering to her that it would be alright before she had calmed back down.

Then, at around two o'clock again, the horrid mechanical sounds of the Grievers drew closer, the time for another person to die finally arriving.

Everyone had crowded together against the wall furthest away from the window. She was stuck in-between Newt and Thomas, who was huddled up next to the sleeping Teresa.

The tension in the room could be cut with a butterknife. The _Gladers_ were silent as no one moved. Emil had to muffle his cries into his hand just to keep himself quiet. There was the distant sound of metal scrapping against the wood of the building, echoing throughout the entire _Homestead_. It was on the opposite side to where they all were, but that didn't mean they were safe.

More _Grievers_ started climbing up the sides of the building, one coming very close to the window in their room. The room seemed to have gotten colder as she leaned up against Newt, hoping this could all be over. He held her close as he placed a hand over her mouth, trying to make sure she stayed quiet.

An explosion of wood and broken glass erupted from the room upstairs, shaking the entire house. She screamed into his hand as others in their room screamed too, but it was nothing compared to the screams coming from upstairs.

People started running out of the room, creaks and groans filling the air as the _Gladers_ started running downstairs.

"It's got Dave!" someone screamed.

She had no idea who that person was, and that made her feel even worse. A hand touched her shoulder, and she knew it wasn't Newt because his arms were securely wrapped around her body.

"Hey, don't worry, it's me," Hawk whispered into her ear, making her turn around. "We're friends, right? Stay still and silent."

A terrible crash came from right outside the room, screams and splintering wood following, almost as if something was eating the house. Not even a second later, another explosion of wood occurred, and only then did she realise it was the front door being ripped off its hinges.

"You need to be quiet. Please, remain quiet," Hawk whispered, knowing about her panic attacks. This was his way of trying to calm her down, but she couldn't tell if it was because of him or Newt.

Suddenly, Thomas jumped up and ran straight out of the door, slamming it open as he ran into the _Glade_.

"Tommy!" Newt yelled, but Thomas ignored him as he continued to run.

Newt quickly grabbed her arm as he pulled her up as they two started running, leaving Hawk behind to deal with the crying Emil. Minho and Teresa were not too far behind as the four sprinted after him.

"Thomas! Stop!" Leo screamed.

"Tommy!"

Thomas kept sprinting towards the _Grievers _just as the four reached the _Glade_ floor.

"What the _shuck_ is he doing?!" Minho yelled.

"Thomas! What're you doing?!" Leo shouted.

"Tommy! What's gotten into you?!" Newt yelled.

As they continued to run after him, Thomas suddenly jumped onto the _Griever_ that had hold of Dave, trying to jerk the kid free of its hold.

Teresa opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out. But Thomas looked like he was in pain when she finally did.

Three _Grievers_ swarmed at him, their needles flying everywhere. Thomas flailed his arms and legs, knocking them away as he kicked one of the _Griever_'s bodies.

The four increased their pace, hoping they could reach him in time to save him.

Thomas screamed as he kicked, pushed and trashed around as he threw his body into a roll. Struggling, he found an opening and got to his feet, running towards the four of them.

Once the _Griever_ had noticed he had escaped, they retreated into the _Maze_ with a screaming Dave. But, the damage to Thomas had been done. He collapsed onto the ground, groaning in pain.

Newt, Leo and Minho were the first to reach him as they were the fastest out of the rest of the _Gladers_ who had joined them. Chuck came up a few seconds later and then Teresa with a group of _Gladers_ behind her.

Newt grabbed Thomas by the shoulders as he lifted him up, gripping him under both of his arms. "Get his legs!"

Leo quickly grabbed hold of his legs as she lifted them up, the two of them carrying him across the _Glade_, through the front door, down the broken hallway and into one of the rooms.

As they placed him down on the couch, Thomas was getting worse by the second.

"What were you doing?!" Newt yelled. "How could you be so bloody stupid?!"

"No…Newt…You don't understand…"

"Shut up! Don't waste your energy!"

Clint rushed into the room, ripping Thomas' clothes from his body to inspect the damage. He looked up and down his arms and legs.

"Thomas! Is he going to be okay?" Chuck asked as he clung to Leo's arms.

"He's gonna be fine, Chuckie," she said, gently patting him on the head.

"He's been stung a dozen times," Clint said. "He'll need the _Serum_ right now."

Teresa grabbed his right ankle and squeezed it.

"The _Grief Serum_! Now!"

Leo quickly rushed to the cupboards, searching every shelf until she found the tube filled with the blue liquid.

"Just stab him with it," Clint said.

Leo didn't hesitate as she raised her hand, closing her eyes right before she stabbed the vile into his right arm. He made no sound nor movement.

Nothing happened.

His eyes started closing, but his mouth was still slightly open. "Don't worry," he whispered. "I did it on purpose…"

Then, he blacked out.

Everyone in the room expect Newt and Clint had stopped breathing. "He's not…dead is he?" Chuck asked, tears forming in his eyes.

Leo quickly bent down to his eye level, mustering up the best smile she could at that moment. "He's perfectly fine Chuckie, he's just gone unconscious."

His body seemed to relax, but the tears still fell from his eyes as he moved closer and hugged her arm. "I can't…believe…he did this," he said in-between his sobs. She moved her arms around him, patting him on the back as he continued to cry.

"I know, I know. But, he's going to be okay. He'll be back to normal before you know it."

Newt lightly touched her shoulder, nodding at her. She smiled before she went back to comforting Chuck. Newt took one last glance at Thomas before he headed back down the stairs to go and tell the _Gladers_ that he would be fine.

Teresa sat down on the chair beside the bed, staring down at the unconscious Thomas. She gently grabbed his hand, almost as if she was asking him why.

Thomas had intentionally gotten stung so he could get his memories back so he could get them out. She didn't know if he was very brave, or very stupid.

She decided on both as she guided Chuck out of the room and out into the _Glade _so he wouldn't have to see Thomas go through the _Changing_.

* * *

Day Seventy-Two – The "Ending" – The "Glade"

It had been a day since Thomas had been stung, but yet his condition hadn't changed. During the nights, he was moved down to the _Slammer_ to make sure he survived the night, but he was always moved back to the _Homestead_ once the night was over for the medical supplies.

Leo knocked on the door, waiting for one of the _Med Jacks _to open the door. She didn't want to barge in as they might have been stuck in the middle of something important. But when Jeff opened the door, she knew that nothing had changed.

Last night that had lost James who had scarified himself so the others could survive the night. She didn't know how much longer she could take of people sacrificing themselves before the attacks would stop.

The _Runners_ were back out in the _Maze_, trying to find if there was any information they could find. Minho had given her today to recover from her injuries, but he said it would be the last day before she would run. He said he needed as many as he could out there, and he knew she would be very helpful.

"Hey Leo," Clint said from the other side of the room.

"Do you need anything?" Jeff asked, but she shook her head.

"Change of bandages for my back," she replied. "But, I've been sent to check on Thomas' condition."

Jeff nodded as he let her past. "Come in."

She saw Thomas lying peacefully on the bed, a plate of feed next to the bed with a cup of water that hadn't been touched.

"How's he doing?" she asked as Clint lifted her shirt up slightly and started unwrapping the blood covered bandages.

"His breathing's steady as is his heart-rate, but he hasn't woken up."

"Not once?" she asked, wincing as the new bandages were wrapped around her back. Jeff shook his head. "How's that possible? He hasn't screamed or anything?"

Clint shook his head this time as he stood up, chucking the bloody bandages into the bin. "Not once. He's been silent the entire time."

"And that's not usual?"

"No, it's not," Jeff said as he looked over Thomas. "We don't know when he'll wake up, if he ever does. But, he is alive. That's all we know."

She nodded as she glanced at him. "Thanks guys, keep us posted."

They nodded. "Will do," Clint said. "Are you running tomorrow?"

"Yeah? Are the wounds-?"

"You'll be fine to run. We'll tell Newt about Thomas then."

"You haven't slept all week," Jeff said, gesturing to the dark circles under her eyes. "You'll need some if you're running tomorrow."

She nodded as she walked out of the room, closing the door behind her as she made her way down the stairs.

…

That night would be one of the most traumatising nights she had gone through. It was on par with her night stuck inside the _Maze_. Everyone had been crowded in the rooms in the _Homestead_, waiting for the _Grievers_ to attack once again. But this time, the only person she recognised in the room she was placed in was Hawk, the others had been placed in different rooms.

Everyone was silent as they heard the mechanical sounds from the _Grievers_ as they drew closer. Hawk and Leo stayed close to each other, both scared out of their minds. But Hawk had a plan that he wouldn't tell anyone about. He knew what he was going to do.

Suddenly, the window exploded as one of its arms reached into the room, sending glass flying through the air and stabbing some people's arms and legs. As she was the only one in the room who was on the_ Council_, she quickly took charge and motioned for everyone to step backwards and huddle against the back corner away from the window while she remained in front of them.

The arm continued to move around the room, trying to find something to grab onto. It searched in silence for a minute before someone broke the silence.

"It will never end," Hawk whispered into her ear as he pushed to the front. Her eyes widened as she turned her head to face him. "Only one a night. The _Griever_'s gonna keep searching until it finds something."

"Don't you dare think of it Hawk," she whispered, her teeth gritting against each other. "Stay back."

He gave her a sad smile before he kissed her on the cheek. "I'm glad I met you Leo, but this needs to be done," he whispered, right before he ran and jumped out of the clump and over to the door.

"Hey _Griever_! Come and catch me you metal _shank_!" he screamed as he ran out of the room, watching as the _Griever_'s arm retracted from the window as it followed him.

"No!" she screamed as she ran out of the room, sprinting after him. As she stepped out into the _Glade_, she saw the _Griever_ grab hold of him, but he didn't protest or scream. "No!" she screamed as she ran again, chasing after the _Griever_ that had him their arms.

She felt herself being pushed down to the ground as arms prevented her from moving. She screamed and cried as she tried to fight the person off to go and save her friend, but their grip wouldn't soften.

"I'm not losing you," Newt yelled at her as he kept her locked in his embrace. She continued to scream as the tears fell from her face as she watched the _Griever_'s disappear into the dark _Maze_, carrying off Hawk.

Newt held her to his chest as she continued to cry, hitting his chest as she let out all of her remorse, anger, and desperation onto him, but he didn't mind one bit. "Why?! You should have let me go! We could have…we could have…"

"I know, I know," he whispered into her ear as he rocked her back and forth as her cries filled the air, the _Gladers_ watching in the background as all of them felt remorse for her.

Day Seventy-Four – Part One – The "Ending" – The "Glade"

Nothing had changed. She had spent most of it moping about the loss of her friend, even when she was running inside the _Maze_ during the last day. Newt had tried as much as he could to cheer her up, and sometimes it did work. And other times she just needed to be alone, which was spent inside the _Maze_. It also didn't help that Zart had been the last person to be taken by the _Grievers_, someone else she had gotten relatively close with as he was her _Keeper_.

She wondered if it was really worth it for them to continue fighting against the _Grievers_ as there was no way out, or why they bothered to run the Maze when they already knew there was no change to it. As she got herself ready to run again, she heard someone shouting her name, along with Newt's.

Knowing it must have been something more important than what she was doing, she chucked her backpack onto the ground as she ran towards the shouting voice.

And that voice belonged to Chuck.

"Chuck, what's going on?" she asked once she'd reached him. She could see that Newt was limping towards them.

"Thomas…he's…"

"Tommy's what?" Newt asked.

"He's…awake…he wants…to talk…to you…He wants to call a…_Gathering_."

Newt and Leo looked at each other.

"We'd better hurry," Newt said. "Those memories'll be gone soon."

She nodded as the two headed over to the _Homestead_, up the stairs and towards Thomas' room.

"Thomas," she said as she opened the door, Newt right behind her as they entered the room.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Tommy – you barely look sick," Newt said as he walked over to the bed.

Thomas nodded. "I feel a little queasy, but other than that, I'm fine. Thought it'd be a lot worse."

"Usually it is," Leo said.

Newt shook his head. "What you did was half brave and half bloody stupid. Seems like you're pretty good at that." He paused. "We know why you did it. What memories came back? Anything that'll help?"

"We need to have a _Gathering_," he said, shifting his legs. "Before I start forgetting some of this stuff."

"Yeah, Chuck told us – we'll do it. But why? What did you figure out?"

"It's a test, Newt, Leo – the whole thing is a test."

"A test?" Leo repeated.

Newt nodded. "Like an experiment."

Thomas shook his head. "No, you don't get it. They're weeding us out, seeing if we'll give up, finding the best of us. Throwing variables at us, trying to make us quit. Testing our ability to hope and fight. Sending Teresa here and shutting everything down was only the last part, one more…final analysis. Now it's time for the last time. To escape."

"What do you mean? You know a way out?"

"Yeah. Call the _Gathering_. Now."


	26. Chapter Twenty-Six

**Disclaimer:**I do NOT own The Maze Runner nor any of the characters from it.

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX:**

Everything is On The Table…

* * *

Day Seventy-Three – Part Two – The "Ending" – The "Glade"

An hour later and all the _Keepers_ had been seated as the _Gathering_ had been called. Thomas was once again seated at the front of them, just like he had been when they were deciding about him going into the _Maze_.

Teresa hadn't been allowed in as most of the _Keepers_ still didn't trust, which ticked Thomas off, but there was no way of changing their opinion. Leo was glad that she wasn't allowed in, and even Minho and Newt thought the same too.

"All right _Greenie_," Alby said – looking much better – as he sat in the middle of the semi-circle made of chairs, sitting to the right of Newt.

All of the other seats were occupied expect for two which remained empty. Those had belonged to Zart and Gally, who both had been taken by the _Grievers_ and were pretty much dead.

"Forget all the beat-around-the-bush _klunk_. Start talking," he continued.

Thomas still looked a little sick as a result from the _Changing_, but he didn't have any of the green vines, scars or bruises that normally resulted from the _Changing_. He just looked like he got over a little cold or the flu.

"It's a long story," Thomas said. "We don't have time to go through it all, but I'll tell you the gist of it. When I went through the _Changing_, I saw flashes of images – hundreds of them – like a slide show in fast forward. A lot came back to me, but only some of its clear enough to talk about. Other stuff has faded or is fading." He paused, taking a breath. "But I remember enough. The _Creators_ are testing us. The _Maze_ was never meant to be solved. It's all been a trial. They want winners – or survivors – to do something important…"

"What?" Newt asked.

"Let me start over," he said, rubbing his eyes. "Every single one of us was taken when we were really young. I don't remember how or why – just glimpses and feelings that things had changed in the world, that something really bad had happened."

"I have no idea what. The _Creators_ stole us, and I think they felt justified in doing it. Somehow they figured out that we have above-average intelligence, and that's why they chose us. I don't know, most of this is sketchy and doesn't matter that much anyway. I can't remember anything about my family or what happened to them. But after we were taken, we spent the next few years learning in special schools, living somewhat normal lives until they were finally able to finance and build the _Maze_. All our names are just stupid nicknames they made up – like Alby for Albert Einstein, Newt for Isaac Newton, Leo for Leonardo Da Vinci and me – Thomas. As in Edison."

Alby looked like he had been slapped in the face. "Our names…those ain't even our real names?"

Thomas shook his head. "As far as I can tell, we'll probably never know what our names were."

_Could that mean that I had a girl's name before this and that Leo was just given to me because it could be a name for either gender? Is that it? What would have been before it was Leo…?_

"What are you saying?" Frypan asked. "That we're freaking orphans raised by scientists?"

"Yes. Supposedly we're really smart and they're studying every move we make, analysing us. Seeing who'd give up and who wouldn't. Seeing who'd survive it all. No wonder we have so many _beetle blades_ spies running around this place. Plus, some of us have had things…altered in our brains."

"Altered? What do you mean altered? They put things in our brains?" Leo asked.

"I believe this _klunk_ about as much as I believe Frypan's food is good for you," Winston grumbled.

"Why would I make this up?" Thomas yelled, clearly furious at the accusation. "Better yet, what do you think is the explanation? That we live on an alien planet?"

"Just keep talking," Alby said. "But I don't get why none of us remembered this stuff. I've been through the _Changing_, but everything I saw was…" He quickly looked around, like he said something he wasn't supposed to. "I didn't learn nothing."

"I'll tell you in a minute why I think I learned more than others. Should I keep going or not?"

"Talk," Newt said.

Thomas sucked in a big breath. "Okay, somehow they wiped our memories – not just our childhood, but all the stuff leading up to entering the _Maze_. They put us in the _Box_ and sent us up here – a big group to start and then one a month over the last two years."

"We know that Thomas," Leo said.

"But why?" Newt asked. "What's the bloody point?"

Thomas help up his hand for silence. "I'm getting there. Like I said, they wanted to test us, see how we'd react to what they call the Variables, and to a problem that has no solution. See if we could work together – build a community, even. Everything was provided for us, and the problem was laid out as one of the most common puzzles known to civilization – a maze. All this added up to making us think there had to be a solution, just encouraging us to work all the harder while at the same time magnifying our discouragement at not finding one." He paused, looking around the room. "What I'm saying is, there is no solution."

"But, how can there be no solution? If there's not, then how do we leave?" Leo asked, raising her voice above all the chatter from the other _Keepers_.

Thomas held up his hand again, silencing them.

"See? Your reaction proves my point. Most people would've given up by now. But I think we're different. We couldn't accept that a problem can't be solved – especially when it's something as simple as a maze. And we've kept fighting no matter how hopeless it's gotten."

Thomas' face started to heat up as he spoke. "Whatever the reason, it makes me sick! All of this – the _Grievers_, the walls moving, the _Cliff_ – they're just elements of a stupid test. We're being used and manipulated. The _Creators_ wanted to keep our minds working toward a solution that was never there. Same thing goes for Teresa being sent here, her being used to the trigger the _Ending_ – whatever that means – the place being shut down, grey skies, on and on and on. They're throwing crazy things at us to see our response, test our will. See if we'll turn on each other. In the end, they want the survivors for something important."

Frypan stood up, outraged. "And killing people? That's a nice little part of their plan?"

"Yes, Frypan, killing people. The only reason the _Grievers_ are doing it one by one is so we don't all die before it ends the way it's supposed to. Survival of the fittest. Only the best of us will escape."

"God, I feel sick," Leo muttered as she thought of the _Creators_ watching innocent teenage boys dying gruesome deaths.

Frypan kicked his chair. "Well, you better start talking about this magical escape, then!"

"He will," Newt said. "Shut up and listen."

Minho cleared his throat. "Something tells me I'm not gonna like what I'm about to hear."

"Probably not," Thomas said. "The _Creators_ want the best of us for whatever it is they have planned. But we have to earn it."

The room fell silent, every eye on him. "The code."

"The code?" Frypan asked. "What about it?"

"It was hidden in the wall movements of the _Maze_ for a reason. I should know – I was there when the _Creators_ did it."

Everyone in the room was silent. Sweat formed on Thomas' brow, clearly worried and terrified of what they would do once they found out his secret.

"You were they when the _Creators_ built the _Maze_?" Leo asked.

"What are you talking about?" Newt asked.

"Well, first there's something I have to share. About me and Teresa. There's a reason Gally accused me of so much stuff, and why everyone who's gone through the _Changing_ recognises me."

The room was dead silent, everyone listening.

"Teresa and I are…different. We were part of the _Maze Trails _from the very beginning – but against our will, I swear it."

"Thomas, what're you talking about?" Minho asked.

"Teresa and I were used by the _Creators_. If you had your full memories back, you'd probably want to kill us. But I had to tell you this myself to show you we can be trusted now. So you'll believe me when I tell you the only way we can get out of here."

Thomas scanned the room, wondering if he should tell them. He took a deep breath. "Teresa and I helped designed the _Maze_. We helped create the whole thing."

Everyone was in shock. How could Thomas…? Was it even possible?

"What's that supposed to mean?" Newt asked. "You're a bloody sixteen-year-old. How could you have created the _Maze_?"

"We were…smart. And I think it might be part of the Variables. But most importantly, Teresa and I have a…gift that made us very valuable as they designed and built this place."

He stopped.

"Speak!" Newt yelled. "Spit it out!"

"We're telepathic! We can talk to each other in our freaking heads!"

"…You're kidding, right?" Leo asked after a moment of silence.

Thomas shook his head. "I wish I was. But listen to me, they forced us to help. I don't know how or why, but they did." He paused. "Maybe it was to see if we could gain your trust despite having been a part of them. Maybe we were meant all along to be the ones to revel how to escape. Whatever the reason, with your Maps we figured out the code and we need to use it now."

No one who sat in that room seemed angry. Sure they were in utter shock or stunned into silence, but none showed a hint of anger. Minho had a smile on his face. Now Leo understood a lot more about his reactions than she did before. That's why he was so calm about being in the _Glade_, that's why Teresa would have recognised her because she had been working on the _Maze_ and the subjects. Because they had taken her from her home.

She was quite a bit more angry at Teresa, but she couldn't feel any anger for Thomas as he looked so remorseful while Teresa didn't seem bothered by the facts that he had stated to her beforehand. And obviously Thomas hadn't indirectly threatened her.

"It's true, and I'm sorry," Thomas continued. "But I can tell you this – I'm in the same boat with you now. Teresa and I were sent here just like anyone else, and we can die just as easily. But the _Creators_ have seen enough – it's time for the final test. I guess I needed the _Changing_ to add the final pieces of the puzzle. Anyway, I wanted you to know the truth, to know there's a chance we can do this."

Newt shook his head, staring at the ground. Then he looked up, taking in each one of the _Gladers_, but his sight was mainly locked onto Leo. "The _Creators_ – those shanks did this to us, not Tommy and Teresa. The _Creators_. And they'll be sorry."

"At least you're helping us now," Leo said with a smile.

"Whatever," Minho said, "who gives a _klunk_ about all that – just get on with the escape already."

"There's a computer station in a place we've never looked before. The code will open a door for us to get out of the _Maze_. It also shuts down the _Grievers_ so they can't follow us – if we can just survive long enough to get to that point."

"A place we've never looked before?" Alby asked. "What do you think we've been doing for two years?"

"Trust me, you've never been to this spot."

Minho stood up. "Well, where is it?"

"It's almost suicide," Thomas said. "The _Grievers_ will come after us whenever we try to do it. All of them. The final test."

"So where is it?" Newt asked.

"Over the _Cliff_. We have to go through the _Griever Hole_."

"You've got to be kidding me," Leo muttered as she glanced out the window and towards the _West Door_. He was right, it was suicide.

Alby stood up from his chair so fast that it fell backwards as it made everyone stare. He took two steps forward before he stopped, almost as if he was going to charge at Thomas but quickly stopped himself. His eyes were bloodshot and they almost bugged out of his head from anger.

"Now you're being a _shuck_ idiot," he said. "Or a traitor. How can we trust a word you say if you helped design this place, put us here! We can't handle one _Griever_ on our own ground, much less fight a whole horde of them in their little hole! What are you really up to you?"

"What am I up to? Nothing! Why would I make all this up!"

Alby's fists clenched. "For all we know you were sent here to get us all killed. Why should we trust you?"

"Alby, do you have short-term memory problem? I risked my life to save you out in the _Maze_ – you'd be dead if it wasn't for me!"

"Maybe that was a trick to gain our trust. If you're in league with the shucks who sent us here, you wouldn't have had to worry about the _Grievers_ hurting you – maybe it was all an act."

"Then why did he save my life ya shank?" Leo asked. "He could've easily left me for dead as well! Why did he save him huh?" She stood up.

"To get you to trust him! To make you believe he's on our side, but really he's working for those _shucking Creators_!"

"Alby," Minho said. "That's about the dumbest theory I've ever heard. He just about got freaking torn apart three nights ago. You think that's part of the act?"

He nodded. "Maybe."

"I did it," Thomas said, "on the chance that I could get my memories back, help all of us get out of here. Do I need to show you the cuts and bruises all over my body?"

Alby's eyes watered, veins popping on his neck. "We can't go back! I've seen what our lives were like – we can't go back!"

"Is that what this is about?" Newt asked. "Are you kidding?"

Alby turned to him, raising his fist. Leo grabbed his wrist, sending him a death glare. "Don't even dare," she said, venom laced in her voice. Alby lowered his arm, then sank back into his chair as she let go. He put his face in his hands, breaking down into tears.

"Alby, talk to us," Newt said. "What's going on?"

"I did it," Alby said through sobs. "I did it."

"Did what?"

Alby looked up, his eyes wet with tears. "I burned the Maps. I did it. I slammed my head on the table so you'd think it was someone else. I lied, burned it all. I did it!"

Everyone in the room looked at each other, the shock evident in their faces. It made sense for his behaviour. Whatever world he had seen during the _Changing_, it had scared him so much that he didn't want to go back, so he made sure that not only that he couldn't, but that no one could.

"Well, it's a good thing we saved those Maps," Minho said. "Thanks for the tip you gave us after the _Changing_ – to protect them."

"Alby, why? Why did you burn the Maps?" Newt asked.

"I'm telling you. We can't go back to where we came from. I've seen it, remembered awful, awful things. Burned land, a disease – something called the Flare. It was horrible – way worse than we have it here."

Leo sat back down, knowing that if she would remain standing her legs would shake and she might collapse. Everything in her dreams had been real. The destroyed town, the disease called the Flare, the horrible creatures.

_Oh god, oh god, oh god…_

"If we stay here, we'll all die!" Minho yelled. "It's worse than that?"

Alby stared for a while before he gave an answer. Leo never knew that their cold leader could have so much emotion, let alone express it in front of others.

"Yes," Alby finally said. "It's worse. Better to die than go home."

Minho snickered. "Man, you are one butt-load of sunshine, let me tell you. I'm with Thomas. I'm with Thomas one hundred percent. If we're gonna die, let's freakin' do it fighting."

"Inside the _Maze_ or out of it," Thomas added. He turned to Alby. "We still live inside the world you remembered."

Alby stood again, showing signs of defeat. "Do what you want." He sighed. "Doesn't matter. We'll die no matter what."

He walked to the door and left the room.

_Geez, this Gathering has turned to klunk. Again._

Newt let out a deep breath, shaking his head. "He's never been the same since being stung – must've been one bugger of a memory. What in the world is the Flare?"

"A disease I'm guessing," Leo said, referring to her dreams and the creatures she had seen. "Must have horrible side effects."

"I don't care," Minho said. "Anything's better than dying here. We can deal with the _Creators_ once we're out. But for now we gotta do what they planned. Go through the _Griever Hole _and escape. If some of us die, so be it."

Frypan snorted. "You _shanks_ are driving me nuts. Can't get out of the _Maze,_ and this idea of hanging with the _Grievers_ at their bachelor pad sounds as stupid as anything I've ever heard in my life. Might as well slit our wrists."

"Frypan, calm it would ya?" Leo asked annoyed.

"What else am I supposed to think? This is suicide!"

"It might not be! We might live! We might escape from this place!"

"Shut up!" Newt shouted, stopping the argument.

"I'm going through the _Hole_ or I'll die trying to get there. Looks like Minho will, too. And I'm sure Teresa's in. If we can fight off the _Grievers_ long enough for someone to punch in the code and shut them down, then we can go through the door they come through. We'll have passed the tests. Then we can face the _Creators_ themselves."

Newt grinned, but there was no amusement anywhere. "And you think we can fight off _Grievers_? Even if we don't die, we'll probably all get stung. Every last one of them might be waiting for us when we get to the _Cliff_ – the _beetle blades _are out there constantly. The _Creators_'ll know when we make our run for it."

"I don't think they'll sting us – the _Changing_ was a Variable meant for us while we lived here. But that part will be over. Plus, we might have one thing going for us."

"Yeah?" Newt asked, rolling his eyes. "Can't wait to hear it."

"It doesn't do the _Creators_ any good if we all die – this thing is meant to be hard, not impossible. I think we finally know for sure that the _Grievers_ are programmed to only kill one of us each day. So somebody can sacrifice himself to save the others while we run to the _Hole_. I think this might be how it's supposed to happen."

The room went silent until Winston barked a loud laugh. "Excuse me? So your suggestion is that we throw some poor kid to the wolves so the rest of us can escape? This is your brilliant suggestion?"

"Yes, Winston, I'm glad you're so good at paying attention. And it seems obvious who the poor kid should be."

"Oh yeah? Who?"

Thomas folded his arms. "Me."

Everyone erupted in protests and arguments. "You can't be serious?" Leo yelled to him. Not another one of her friends. It can't be…

Newt calmly stood up, walked over to Thomas, grabbed him by the arm and pulled him towards the door. "You're leaving. Now."

"Leaving? Why?"

"Think you've said enough for one meeting. We need to talk and decide what to do – without you here." Newt gave him a gentle push outside. "Wait for me by the Box. When we're done, you and I'll talk."

He started to turn around, but Thomas grabbed him. "You gotta believe me, Newt. It's the only way out of here – we can do it, I swear. We're meant to."

"Yeah, I especially loved the bit where you volunteered to get yourself killed."

"I'm perfectly willing to do it."

"Oh, really?" Newt asked, irritated. "Mr. Noble himself, aren't ya?"

"I have plenty of my own reasons. In some ways it's my fault we're here in the first place." He took a breath. "Anyway, I'm going no matter what, so you better not waste it."

Newt frowned. "If you really did help design the _Maze_, Tommy, it's not your fault. You're a kid – you can't help what they forced you to do."

"I just…feel like I need to save everyone. To redeem myself."

Newt stepped back, slowly shaking his head. "You know what's funny, Tommy?"

"What?"

"I actually believe you. You just don't have an ounce of lying in those eyes of yours. And I can't bloody believe I'm about to say this." He paused. "But I'm going back in there to convince those shanks we should go through the _Griever_ _Hole_, just like you said. Might as well fight the _Grievers_ rather than sit around letting them pick us off one by one." He held up a finger.

"But listen to me – I don't want another bugging word about you dying and all that heroic _klunk_. If we're gonna do this, we'll take our chances – all of us. You hear me?"

Thomas held his hands up. "Loud and clear. I was just trying to make the point that it's worth the risk. If someone's going to die every night anyway, we might as well use it to our advantage."

Newt frowned. "Well, ain't that just cheery?"

Thomas turned to walk away. "Tommy?"

"Yeah?" He stopped, but didn't look at him.

"If I can convince those _shanks_ – and that's a big if – the best time to go would be at night. We can hope that a lot of the _Grievers_ might be out and about in the _Maze_ – not in that _Hole _of theirs."

"They do realise that the doors open, don't they?" Leo whispered to Minho who shrugged in response.

"Good that."

Newt smiled. "We should do it tonight, before anyone else is killed." Newt went back into the room, shutting the door behind him. "Now, it's time to decide what we're doing."

"I think me and this _shank_ have made our decisions," Minho said, gesturing to Leo. She nodded, though she rolled her eyes at the mention of being called a _shank_, but she let it slide.

Most of the _Keepers_ in the room agreed with them, but Frypan and Winston were the only two in the room that needed convincing.

"This is suicide!" Winston yelled as he slammed his hands down onto the table. "There is no way in hell is this going to work!"

"But do you seriously want to stay here and wait for the _Grievers_ to kill us all one by one!" Leo screamed. "Either way, we're bloody dead! Tell me honestly, would you rather wait for death to come to you, or would you risk the chance of surviving? If you stay here, its guaranteed death. If you leave, you might live."

Frypan sighed, placing his head in his hands before he looked back up at her. "If there's no hope either way, I'll go down fighting," he said. "I can't wait here any longer."

She looked over at Winston who refused to make eye contact with her. "Gally was your friend, right?" she asked which made him nod. "He sacrificed himself so that we could survive for another day. So we could get out of here. Do you want that to go to waste because you're scared to take a chance?"

She knew she had hit a soft spot once she heard his breath stop, trying to fight back the sobs that were threatening to come out. He took a long, slow breath before he looked up at her, his eyes twinkling with unshed tears.

"I'll _shucking_ go, I'll go."

"_Gathering_ dismissed," Newt said, knowing that most of the _Keepers_ couldn't last another minute in there. They quickly rushed out of the room, leaving Leo, Newt and Minho behind as the others went to be by themselves for a while to think.

"That was supposed to be my job," Newt said to her, which made her laugh.

"Guess I stole your thunder," she said with a smile.

Minho patted Newt on the back, giving him a smirk. "I know it's been a while since you two have gotten some alone time, but can you keep it in your pants, at least in public."

Newt's face flushed red from both anger and embarrassment as he jumped up, glaring straight at Minho. "Nothing like that was happening!" he shouted, which made Minho laugh as he quickly ran out of the room. "Get back here ya bloody _shank_!"

She watched as the two ran out of the room, Newt chasing after him which made her laugh. She wished that the days could be like this, where this was the biggest worry they had and not that death could come at any second.

She quickly rushed out of the room, hoping to see the aftermath.

…

After Minho and Newt had run around the _Glade_ for ten minutes, Newt had given up and was heading over to the _Box_ to talk to Thomas. Leo, having nothing else to do, decided to tag along, but she couldn't stop laughing.

"It wasn't that funny," Newt said as they walked across the _Glade_. Again, most of the _Gladers_ had given up on their jobs and were either in the _Homestead_ or in the _Deadheads_, so the _Glade_ was pretty much empty as it had been for the past few days.

"Oh come on, it was hilarious," she said in-between her laughs. She finally calmed down once she noticed the pout on his face, which made her smile grow even bigger. "I'm sorry," she said with a smirk as she kissed him on the cheek. As he gave on reaction, she kept doing that until she reached the corner of his mouth, and then finally landing one on his lips.

He sighed once they separated, a small smile making it's to his face. "I guess I'll have to forgive you," he said. She gave him another kiss as they continued walking. They saw two figures standing at the _Box_, one of them being Teresa. Her muscles tensed for a second before she shook it off.

Thomas suddenly let go of Teresa's hand as the two walked over which made Leo raise an eyebrow. They finally came to a stop as Newt crossed his arms, looking down at the two sitting on the bench. "This is blood nuts, you know that, right?"

Thomas stood up. "So they agreed to go?"

Newt nodded. "All of them. Wasn't as hard as I thought it'd be. Those _shanks_'ve seen what happens at night who those bloody _Doors_ open. We can't get out of the stupid _Maze_. Gotta try something." He turned to look at the _Keepers_ who were now walking in the _Glade_. "Now we have to convince the _Gladers_."

"You think they'll go for it?" Teresa asked, standing up.

"Not all of them," Newt said. "Some'll stay and take their chances – guarantee it."

"Some would rather die here than out in the unknown," Leo said.

"What about Alby?"

"Who knows?" Newt responded. "I'm convinced that bugger really is more scared to go back home than he is of the _Grievers_. But I'll get him to go with us, don't worry."

"How are you going to convince him?"

Newt laughed. "I'll make up some _klunk_. Tell him we'll all find a new life in another part of the world, live happily ever after."

Thomas shrugged. "Well, maybe we can. I promised Chuck I'd get him home, you know. Or at least find him a home."

"Yeah, well," Teresa muttered. "Anything's better than this place."

"You've only been here for a few days. You can't make an assumption based on that," Leo said. Teresa glared.

"Calm it," Newt said to her. "Don't start something."

"So, what's next?" Teresa asked.

Newt took a deep breath. "Figure out who's going, who's staying. Get ready. Food, weapons, all that. Then we go. Thomas, I'd put you in charge since it was your idea, but it's going to be hard enough to get people on our side without making the _Greenie_ our leader – no offense. So just lay low, okay? We'll leave the code business to you and Teresa – you can handle that from the background."

"You can make it sound so easy," Thomas said.

"Like you said – stay here, one _shank_'ll die tonight. Go, one _shank_'ll die. What's the difference?" He pointed at Thomas. "If you're right."

"I am."

"You're pretty confident about this. I hope you're just as confident about us succeeding," Leo said.

He gulped, but he nodded. "Yeah, I am."

Newt clapped him on the back. "Good that. Let's get to work."


	27. Chapter Twenty-Seven

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own The Maze Runner nor any of the characters from it.

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN:**

The Fight Against the Grievers…

* * *

Day Seventy-Three – Part Three – The "Ending" – The Maze

The next few hours were frantic.

Somehow most of the _Gladers_ ended up agreeing to go. Even Alby had decided to take the risk, which seemed the most surprising. Pretty much ¾ of the _Glade_ wanted to go with them. Even though no one wanted to admit it, everyone was hoping that the _Gr_ievers would only kill one person. And the people who hadn't decided to go were winging and complaining, trying to tell everyone else how stupid they were. But eventually they gave up and just kept to themselves.

As for Leo and everyone who committed to the escape plan, there was a lot of work to be done in preparation.

Backpacks were being filled with supplies and were being handed out. Frypan was in charge of gathering all the food and figuring out how to distribute it evenly. Clint was in charge of packing the syringes filled with _Grief Serum_, but only handed them to certain people – Leo, Newt, Minho, Alby, Jeff and himself as they all at some point had given someone the serum.

Chuck was in charge of filling up all the water bottles and handing them to everyone. Teresa was forced to help him and Thomas had told her to sugar-coat everything that was going to happen. But Chuck knew better. Leo had watched from a distance as he had tried to act brave but he quickly became terrified.

Minho had taken a couple of _Runners_ to go to the _Cliff_ to test out the _Griever_ _Hole_. They had taken ivy ropes and rocks to help test it. They had hoped that the _Griever_'s wouldn't come out during the day time and keep to their usual schedule. Newt had to tell Thomas to wait until night before they would all leave as they might be waiting for them. If it was night, most of them would be in the _Maze_ and not inside the _Hole_. At least, they hoped.

When Minho and the group had returned back safe and sound, he was so optimistic about there being an exit – technically an entrance, but whatever.

Leo was originally going to go out into the _Maze_ with them, but when she saw the metal pole she had used at the entrance to the _Doors_, let's just say she took it and ran. Minho understood why and let her run. He told her to go and help organise the weaponry with Newt and Thomas.

_It's not a knife, but it'll do, _Leo thought as she stood in the Homestead, looking over the metal pole in her hands. She had used this so much. She had used it with her first encounter with a _Griever_, then in her night stuck in there and it was even used in her dreams by the little girl. She knew the _Creators_ were behind this, but she wondered why. Did they want her to survive?

As Newt and Thomas handed out the weapons, Leo quickly made some innovative ones so that everyone could have one. She had carved sticks into spears, wrapped some in barbwire, sharpened the knives and fastened them with twine, and got shards of broken glass from the windows and duct-taped them to shovels.

By the end of the day, the _Gladers_ had turned into a small army. Even Emil was given a wooden spear, but he kept refusing, saying that he didn't need a weapon. She refused and gave it to him, telling him to suck it up.

Teresa and Thomas quickly left and went into a spot somewhere in the _Deadheads_. Thomas had claimed it was to talk strategy, but she didn't believe it for a full second. She could believe that as much as she could believe that only one person was going to die in that _Maze_ tonight. She knew there would be more deaths, accidental or not.

Leo had gone to the bathroom and locked the door, not wanting anyone to come in by accident. As she did, she quickly took the pins out of her hair and ripped her wig off, seeing her strawberry-blonde locks flowing down her back.

She stood there for a while, thinking about everything that had happened during her three months here. She realised how quickly it could all slip away, how everything could disappear. These _Gladers_ were risking their lives to live a better life, but it would it really be a better life?

Her thoughts wondered back to what Teresa had said,

"_I had seen this…beautiful girl with long, blonde-reddish hair and green eyes…I remember that we kept her hidden from the others so they wouldn't figure it out…"_

No matter how scary it was, she had to believe that the girl was really her. With Thomas' evidence of what he saw through the _Changing_ and how they had all been part of some test, she knew that Teresa had seen her while she was working there. That she was special compared to the others.

"_We used to dress her up in these amazing outfits so that when the boys did see her, they never would have guessed that she could become a boy…"_

Was that to fool the other _Gladers_? Or to fool the _Creators_? Her head seemed to ache from all this information and she wondered how a group of people could take children away from their homes, raise them and give them false identities. How they could chuck them into a _Maze_ where there was no escape? How could they let the same people they raised die by being ripped apart and eaten by a horrible creature that they designed?

She gaged a little at the thought, but she held it down.

"_I had always disliked that girl…She was everything they wanted…Their favourite…"_

She shook her head as she placed the wig back onto her head, securing the pins into place. If they hadn't agreed when they were in the same place, how would they be able to work together in a life or death situation?

She quickly unlocked the bathroom door and headed out into the _Glade_, seeing the _Gladers_ all heading over to the kitchen. Their final meal before their escape. Leo quickly took off into a run to reach the rest of the crowd, hoping that this wouldn't be the last meal she ever ate.

…

Everyone in the room was struck with fear. There was no laughter or joy in the room, everyone knew this could the end or the start. She wondered how this many _Gladers_ had the guts to go charging into the _Maze_ and jump down a _Hole_.

Leo was sat next to Chuck with Thomas on the other side. Thomas picked at his food, seemingly not hungry. Maybe the pressure was getting to him.

"So…Thomas," Chuck said through a mouthful of mashed potatoes. "Who am I nicknamed after?"

Leo had always wondered why they're names had all been derived from famous scientists. Why not use their real names?

"I don't know. Darwin, maybe?" Thomas said.

"Charles Darwin, you mean?" Leo asked.

"Yeah, the dude who figured out evolution."

"I bet no one's ever called him a dude before," Chuck said, taking another big bite. "You know, I'm really not all that scared. I mean, last few nights, sitting in the _Homestead_, just waiting for a _Griever_ to come in and steal one of us was the worst thing I've ever done. At least now we're taking it to them, trying something. And at least…"

"At least what?"

"Well, everyone's speculating they only kill one of us. Maybe I sound like a shuck, but it gives me some hope. At least most of us will make it through – just leaves one poor sucker to die. Better than all of us."

"You're not a _shuck_," Leo said, patting him on the back. "We're all thinking the same thing as you pal." Though it made her sick to say, it was true. One person dying was better than thirty people. But, would it really be that simple.

Or will the _Creators_ change routine again?

"Maybe we can all make it. As long as everyone fights," Thomas said.

Chuck stopped eating to look at him. "You really think that, or you just trying to cheer me up?"

"We can do it. Don't forget my promise. You can still plan on it."

Chuck frowned. "Big deal – I keep hearing the world is in _klunky _shape."

"Hey, maybe so, but we'll find the people who care about us – you'll see."

"Who cares what the world is? If there's someone who cares about you, then the world can almost look perfect," Leo said with a smile.

Thomas raised an eyebrow at her with a smirk, knowing full well that she was referring to how Newt was changing her perspective on the world.

Chuck stood up. "Well, I don't wanna think about it. Just get me out of the _Maze_ and I'll be one happy dude."

"Yeah, we all will be," Leo said.

"Good that," Thomas agreed.

And then, it was time. Newt and Alby were gathering the _Gladers_, telling everyone that it was time to go. Alby seemed to be back to his cold, leader ways but everyone was still worried if he could handle this.

Even though fear had taken over most of her body as she grabbed her backpack and headed towards the _West Door_, she was also excited. Excited at the thought of leaving and finding a world outside the walls. Leo clutched the metal pole tighter as she stopped walking, ready to fight.

Minho and Teresa were talking to each other at the left side of the _Door_, going over the plans to enter the code once they had got into the Hole.

"You _shanks_ ready?" Minho asked once everyone arrived. "Thomas, this was all your idea, so it better work. If not, I'll kill ya before the _Grievers_ can."

"Thanks," Thomas said. He looked at Teresa who shifted from foot to foot. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," she said with a small smile. "Just anxious to get it over with."

"Amen, sister," Minho said. He seemed to be the calmest out of everyone, Newt and Leo both becoming a close second and third.

Newt called for everyone to be quiet. "There're forty-two of us." He got the backpack off his shoulders, taking out a wooden pole with barbwire wrapped around it. "Make sure you've got your weapons. Other than that, isn't a whole lot to bugging say – you've all been told the plan. We're gonna fight out way through to the _Griever Hole_, and Tommy here's gonna punch in his little magic code and then we're gonna get payback on the _Creators_. Simple as that."

"Shouldn't someone give a pep talk or something?" Minho asked.

"Go ahead," Newt replied.

Minho nodded, facing everyone. "Be careful. Don't die."

"Thanks for that Minho," Leo said.

"Great. We're all bloody inspired," Newt said, pointing over his shoulder to the _Maze_. "You all know the plan. After two years of being treated like mice, tonight we're making a stand. Tonight we're taking the fight back to the _Creators_, no matter what we have to go through to get there. Tonight the _Grievers_ better be scared."

"Yeah, we're gonna show them that we're the ones to be feared, not them," Leo said.

Someone cheered, then another. Soon the _Glade_ erupted in battle cries and shouts, filling the _Glade_ like thunder. Leo was proud that she was going to battle with all of these people, her family.

Tonight they would fight, they would make their stand, finally.

Leo was ready. She clutched her metal pole, ready to attack. Everyone should have been quiet, not drawing attention to themselves, but no one cared.

If the _Creators_ wanted a game, then they we're gonna play.

Newt raised his weapon in the air. "Hear that, _Creators_! We're coming!"

He turned and ran into the _Maze_, his limp barely noticeable. Leo cheered as she ran after him into the dull grey air. The _Gladers_ quickly followed behind them, including Alby. Thomas and Teresa were at the back as they were the ones who needed to survive as they needed to enter the code.

Finally, after an hour, they reached they long alley that led to the _Cliff_ after one more turn – a short corridor to the right branched off like the letter _T. _Leo was standing right next to Alby and Newt, all ready to fight.

Teresa and Thomas moved up right behind Minho as he held up a hand to tell them to stop moving. Then, he turned. "Do you hear that?" he whispered.

Everyone had stopped to listen, but they heard nothing. Thomas had shook his head as Minho's eyes widened. He slowly crept ahead, peeking around the sharp edge of stone, looking at the _Cliff_.

"Oh no," he said through a moan. "Oh, no."

Then, the _Grievers_ decided to make noise. They had been waiting for them and now that they were there, they were coming to life.

"There's at least a dozen of them. Maybe fifteen," Minho said. "They're just waiting for us!"

Newt, Leo and Alby moved up the line of _Gladers_ to join Thomas and Minho. The news had been spread down the line so fast, not even a few seconds had passed before everyone knew.

"Well, we knew we'd have to fight," Newt said, his voice shaking a bit.

"But did we expect this many to be here just waiting for us?" Leo asked, her eyes widening as her legs shaked.

"Maybe they've already taken a kid back at the _Glade_. Maybe we can get past them – why else would they be sitting-" Thomas was cut off by a loud noise behind him.

There were _Grievers_ moving down the corridor towards them, their spikes coming to life as their arms stretched out.

The _Grievers_ were everywhere. They were behind and in front of them.

The _Gladers_ formed a tight group, huddling together to avoid the _Grievers_ as they kept creeping closer and closer. Thomas saw a pack of _Grievers_ between them and the _Cliff_, their spikes extended and their skin pulsing.

Waiting for them. Watching them.

Newt was trembling as Leo tugged onto his shirt, keeping him close to her. She knew one thing, she didn't want to be separated from him.

No one said a word.

The only sounds any one could hear were the haunting moans and machinery from the _Grievers_, sitting there as if enjoying the fear radiating from them.

"Got any ideas?" Thomas asked Newt.

"No," he replied. "I don't understand what they're bloody waiting for."

"Someone to make a move," Leo said as she watched the _Grievers_.

"We shouldn't have come," Alby said.

"Well, we'd be no better off in the _Homestead_. Hate to say it, but if one of us died, that's better than all of us," Thomas said.

"Maybe I should…" Alby trailed off as he started walking forward towards the _Cliff_, slowly as if he was in a trance.

"Alby?" Newt asked. "Get back here!"

Alby took off running, heading straight for the pack of _Grievers._

"Alby!" Newt shouted.

"No! Don't!" Leo shouted, but Alby had already jumped on top of one of the Grievers.

Newt moved away from her and towards Alby – but there were five or six _Grievers_ bursting to life as they attacked Alby in a blur.

Thomas and Leo reached for Newt, grabbing him and pulling him back. "Let go!" Newt yelled as he struggled.

"No Newt! Please don't!" Leo shouted as she held onto him.

"Are you nuts?!" Thomas shouted. "There's nothing you can do!"

Two more _Grievers_ moved over to him, piling on top of each other as they cut and snapped at Alby, but he did not scream.

Leo couldn't look anymore at the sight as she continued to struggle with Newt. Finally, Newt gave up and collapsed onto the ground in defeat. Leo fell with him, still holding onto him.

Their leader was gone. Alby had sacrificed himself rather than going back to the world he feared.

Thomas and Leo helped Newt to his feet.

"I can't believe it," Newt whispered. "I can't believe he just did that."

Leo grabbed his hand, trying to comfort him as best she could. Minho moved closer, squeezing Newt's shoulder.

"We can't waste what he did," Minho said. "We'll fight 'em off if we have to, and make a path to the _Cliff_ for you and Teresa. Get in the _Hole_ and do your thing – we'll keep them off until you scream for us to follow. Hopefully they'll go dormant for a while. We should only need a minute or so to punch in the code."

"How can you guys be so heartless?" Newt murmured.

"What do you want Newt? Should we all dress up and have a funeral?"

"Hey! Stop it!" Leo shouted at him.

"Alby didn't wanna go back to his old life. He freaking sacrificed himself for us – and they aren't attacking, so maybe it worked. We'd be heartless if we wasted it."

Newt shrugged, closing his eyes.

"Listen up! Number one priority is to protect Thomas and Teresa. Get them to the _Cliff_ and the _Hole_ so-"

The sound of the _Grievers_ brought them back to reality as they were drawing closer and closer to them. Together in unison – from both sides – they moved forward, slowly getting all their machinery ready to kill.

Alby's sacrifice had failed.

She could hear Thomas yell, "Somehow I have to get through that!" over the noises and cries of the _Grievers._ There was a pack of them rolling towards them, separating them from the _Cliff_.

Minho, Newt and Leo all looked at each other, not knowing what was going to happen. They hadn't expected this many to be out.

"They're coming!" Teresa yelled. "We have to do something!"

"You lead," Newt said to Minho, his voice just above a whisper. "Make a bloody path for Tommy and the girl. Do it."

"We head straight for the _Cliff_! Fight through the middle, push the _shucking_ things towards the walls. What matters most is getting Thomas and Teresa towards the _Griever Hole_!"

The _Grievers_ were now only a few feet away, getting closer and closer.

"Ready!" Minho yelled, raising his barbwired club into the air with one hand, a long silver knife in the other. He pointed his knife at the hoard of _Grievers_.

"Now!"

The _Keeper_ ran forward. Newt went after him, then Leo, and then the rest of the _Gladers_. They all formed a tight pack as they headed into battle, weapons raised.

Leo screamed as she swung the pole like a baseball bat, hitting the _Griever_ square in the chest. It stumbled back, but quickly regained itself. She screamed again as she hit it again and again, not giving it a chance to recover as she kept slamming it towards the wall on the right.

She gasped as she felt something scratch her. She turned and saw her leg bleeding as it was cut from a _Griever_'s metal arm from behind. She swung the pole at the _Griever_ behind her, slamming into Newt's spear. He thrust the spear into the _Griever_'s chest as it was pushed against the left wall.

"Bloody _shucking_ bastard!" Leo yelled as she hit the _Griever_ in front of her again. She ran over to the side to help someone.

"Leo! Help!"

She quickly turned her head and saw Emil pinned against the wall, the _Griever_'s arm ready to strike. Without another thought, she ran towards it. She stuck her pole down onto the ground and launched herself over the top of the _Griever_, landing right in front of Emil.

"Run!" she yelled to him.

She swung her pole at the _Griever_'s head, making it howl as it tried to attack. She hit the arm closest to them as Emil ran out and into the battlefield. She ducked as another arm swung at her, trying to grab her.

She trust the pole forward, just narrowly missing as it seemed to dodge. Another arm swept her foot, sending her to the ground. She groaned as she hit her head, swinging her pole forward, but missing.

As the _Griever_ raised its arm, she heard a clinking sound and turned to see Newt standing behind it, stabbing it with his spear.

"Not happening," he growled at the _Griever_ as it turned to face him, giving her a chance to escape. But, she didn't run. She got to her feet and swung, smacking it straight in the "face". It started to get confused as who to attack, so it left to attack someone else.

"You've gotta be more careful _love_," Newt said right before he went to attacking another _Griever_, pushing it against the right wall.

_Love? Oh why must you call me that now!_

Her heart fluttered as her cheeks reddened. Dammit, Newt.

She felt another cut on her arm and she growled, smacking the _Griever_ to the wall and keeping it there.

"Now!" she heard Thomas shout as she saw him sprint through the crowd, Teresa and Chuck following behind. They ran through as Leo kept attacking the _Grievers_, dodging the _Griever_'s metallic arms as it tried to grab her.

She felt another stab at the back of her leg. Then another at her arm. How were they going to last much longer?

She could hear someone scream as they were stabbed and she knew that the boy was dead. She could see some of the dead bodies on the ground, the blood leaving their bodies as the _Grievers_ continued to attack.

"I know!" Thomas shouted out loud. Who he was talking to, no one had any idea.

She saw someone sprint past Thomas, bumping into him. A _Griever_ charged in front of them, ready to attack. The _Glader_ – Minho – cut the attack off, using two long swords to get rid of the arms.

"Thomas! Keep going!" Leo shouted as she swung her metal pole again.

"Tommy! Go!" Newt shouted as he stabbed something.

"Thomas! Forget me! Go!" Minho shouted as he fought off the _Griever_.

She saw a _Griever_ heading towards Chuck. She quickly rushed up and right as it was about to attack, she swung the pole and smacked it, turning its attention to her. "Chuck, run!" she yelled as she dodged an arm.

Chuck looked horrified, but Teresa grabbed his arm and dragged him away.

As more _Grievers_ came to attack them, more _Gladers_ got in the way to help. Winston had picked up Alby's bow and arrow and shot at anything that moved, missing more than hitting. Leo had grabbed someone's dropped knife and stabbed some _Grievers_, pushing them against the wall. Everyone was fighting the _Grievers_. The sounds – the clashes, clangs, screams, moaning wails, roar of engines, spinning saws, snapping blades, screech of spikes, cries for help – were all becoming too much.

She heard Thomas scream as he continued to run to the _Cliff_. He had skidded to a stop, Teresa and Chuck bumping into him, nearly sending all of them down the Hole.

Leo screamed as a _Griever_ charged for her, sending her backwards. As an arm went to stab her in the chest, she used the knife to block the arm, making her close her eyes as she used all her strength to move it away. It seemed to be getting closer and closer to her as she screamed, trying to push it away from her.

She quickly kicked it as she moved away, using the wall next to her to help her stand back up. The cuts in her legs and arms were starting to burn as she continued to fight, her body aching.

She continued Teresa jump down the hole, not hesitating as she stiffened her legs, her arms by her side. She slipped into the spot between the cut-off ivy rope and disappeared from existence.

She heard Chuck scream as he was thrown down into the _Griever Hole_, also disappearing. And then Thomas disappeared.

Leo screamed as a _Griever_ sliced her arm again, making her stumble. Without warning, the _Griever_ reached for her but she deflected it with her knife and metal pole. The _Griever_ kept going closer and closer, making her step back. And then, before she knew it, she was screaming as she was falling down into a dark abyss. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she released what had happened.

She had fallen into the _Griever Hole_.


	28. Chapter Twenty-Eight

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own The Maze Runner nor any of the characters from it.

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT:**

The Hidden Self-Destruct Button…

* * *

Day Seventy-Three – Part Four – The "Ending" – The Maze

As she screamed her whole body got goosebumps, ice shooting up her spine as if she had jumped into freezing cold water. As she was falling, she quickly adjusted herself as her feet hit the floor, landing on a slippery surface. She stumbled as she fell over, landing in Thomas' unknowing arms. He stumbled a bit, not knowing that she was coming down the _Hole_.

He and Chuck helped her stand as she tried to get her balance. She was still shaking from falling down the _Hole_. It was a miracle that she had held onto her weapons.

"Didn't expect you to be coming down with us," Thomas said as he tried to see where he was.

She gulped. "I didn't either."

Teresa's flashlight was the only light source in the entire room, otherwise it was pitch-black. Leo looked up, only to see that she had fallen about ten feet into a stone cylinder.

The surface was damp, covered in shiny oil and it stretched out in front of them for hundreds of yards before it would fade back into darkness. The _Hole_ looked like a square window, showing the darkened sky.

"The computer's over there," Teresa said, getting her attention.

Several feet down the tunnel, she pointed the light at a small square bit of glass that shone a dull green colour. Underneath was a keyboard stuck into the wall, angling out for someone to easily type on it.

There it was, ready for them to punch in the code.

"This seems way too easy," Leo said as she looked around the room. If there anything, she couldn't see it.

"Who cares? Put the words in!" Chuck yelled, slapping Thomas' shoulder. "Hurry!"

Thomas motioned for Teresa. "Chuck and I'll – and I guess now Leo – will keep watch, make sure a _Griever_ doesn't come through the _Hole_."

"Okay," she said. She stepped up to the keyboard and started typing. She then turned to Thomas and scowled. "I'm not an idiot, Tom. Yes, I'm perfectly capable of remembering-"

A loud bang came from above as it landed right behind them, cutting her off. Leo spun around and saw the _Griever_ she had been fighting before she fell down. It had retracted its spike and arms to enter and it landed with a squishy thump, all of its sharp objects popping back out.

"Oh, my friend's come back for more," Leo said as she held her knife out, her metal pole behind her back.

Thomas pushed Chuck behind him, holding his spear. "Just keep typing Teresa!"

Leo struck first, swinging the pole and hitting it square in the head. Then she used her knife to stab the _Griever_ in what she presumed was its stomach.

Chuck stuck his head out from behind Thomas and stared in awe. "Cool," he whispered as he watched her bludgeon the creature. As she was too occupied, a skinny metallic rod came out of the _Griever_'s skin, unfolding out into a long rod with three spinning blades, which moved slowly towards her back.

"Leo!" Thomas shouted as he swung his spear up, around, and toward the ceiling as hard as he could. It smacked the metal and pivoted it up towards the sky, changing its shape before it went back inside the body of the _Griever_.

Leo quickly jumped back, standing right beside Thomas as it let out an angry shriek as it moved back several back, the spikes retracting.

"Thanks for that," she said.

He nodded. "Anytime," he said through heavy breaths.

As the _Griever_'s spikes appeared again, another dropped down and started to charge. Now they had two _Grievers_ to deal with and time was running out.

Thomas and Leo looked at each other, nodding as they went their separate ways. Leo headed for the newcomer, Thomas going for the other.

As the newcomer came closer and closer, Leo stuck her metal pole into the ground, lunging up into the air as she slammed her knife into the top of its body, stunning it as it howled, trying to grab her. She kept repeating the same thing, stabbing it as it continued to claw for her. She used her metal pole to dodge the arms and smack them until they retracted.

Thomas swung his spear from above, crashing it into the base of the _Griever_'s claws. With a loud clunk and a squishing sound, the entire arm ripped off and fell to the floor. The _Griever_ let out a long, piercing shriek before pulling back, the spike disappearing.

"These things are beatable!" Thomas shouted.

Thomas had jumped on top of the _Griever_ as he swung his spear like a mad man, sinking his spear deep into the _Griever_'s body. A yellow liquid splattered from inside as Thomas jumped away, running back to Teresa and Chuck.

Following his technique, Leo slammed her knife into the base of one the claws and it shrieked as the entire arm fell to the floor. She smirked as she continued to do this, striking another and another. She stood up on top of the _Griever_'s body – her feet sinking – as she raised her knife into the air and trust it deep into the _Griever_'s body. Slimy yellow goo erupted from its body, covering her legs as she drove the knife deeper and deeper.

She quickly jumped off the _Griever_ and bolted into a sprint back over to Chuck, keeping her weapons at a close distance.

Both _Grievers_ twitched uncontrollably, spurting out the yellow oil in every direction, spikes popping in and out of its flesh, its arms swinging around as it impaled its own body. Then they began to slow down, losing energy with every ounce of oil it lost.

A few seconds later, both of them stopped moving altogether. Leo slowly walked up to one of them, checking to see if there was any sign of it coming back, but she couldn't find any.

"You two killed it," Chuck said.

"Wasn't so hard," Thomas muttered.

"Uh, you better hurry with that code! More could come any second!" Leo shouted as she moved away from the _Grievers_, standing in front of Chuck to protect him.

When there was no answer, Thomas walked over to the computer.

"What's the problem?" Thomas asked.

"I put in all the words and one by one they appeared on the screen; then something beeped and they'd disappear. But it won't let me type in the last word. Nothing's happening!"

"It's not letting you type _PUSH?_" Leo asked.

"Yes! I keep trying, but nothing's happening!"

"Well…why?" Thomas asked.

"I don't know!"

"Leo! Thomas!" Chuck shouted.

"Shuck!" Leo shouted as she saw another _Griever_ making its way down the _Griever Hole_. Then another. Now they had two more _Grievers_ heading for them.

Leo knew she couldn't pull that stunt again unless Thomas was doing the same, but he had made no move to attack. Did that mean she was by herself on this?

She gulped as she took a deep breath, screaming as she charged towards them, stabbing one of them and smacking the other. She swung the pole as hard as she could, stabbing the other with all the force she had. Their spikes were still inside their bodies.

"What's taking so long?" Chuck cried. "You said they'd turn off when you punched in the code!"

Leo took a step back as they moved forward, extending out their spikes and arms.

"It won't let us enter the word _PUSH," _Thomas said.

"Do you need to push something?" Leo asked as she attacked again, trying to keep them as busy as she could.

"But what's there to push! I don't see anything!" Teresa shouted as she kept typing the word into the computer.

Leo screamed again as she lunged forward, dodging their arms as they swung. One nicked her hand, but she slammed its body against the wall. She stabbed the other as its arm fell off and clattered onto the ground. She did the same with its other arms, until it only had one arm left.

She ran over to the other, but the second _Griever_ had other plans. It charged for her and she had to run, screaming as she swung the metal pole.

"Maybe you should just push that button," she heard Chuck say as she continued to fight the _Grievers_. She looked to see Chuck pointing at a spot on the floor, right underneath the screen and keyboard.

She swung the pole again as she continued to run.

Teresa crouched on her knees, heading for a button.

The _Griever_ moaned and roared as she felt a claw grab onto her shirt, but she stabbed it at the base, removing the arm.

There was a small red button only a few inches above the floor. And there were three black words printed on there, making her secretly want to kill both Teresa and Thomas for not thinking to look for something to push.

Of course, the button had said **Kill the Maze.**

One of the _Grievers_ lunged for Thomas, grabbing him as it started dragging him backwards. The other one had left Leo and had gone after Chuck, just about to swipe a long blade at him.

"No!" she shouted as she stood in front of him, waiting for the attack.

"Push!" Thomas screamed.

And Teresa did.

She pushed the button and everything went silent. Then, the sound of a door sliding open came from down the dark tunnel.

The _Grievers_ stopped moving, completely shutting down as their spikes and arms sunk back into their skin, their lights turning off and their machines silent.

Thomas fell to the floor as he was released. Leo stood there in shock, knowing the _Griever_'s blade had come only a few centimetres from stabbing her in the eye. She fell to the knees, taking deep breaths.

Thomas gasped, then laughed, then chocked on a sob before laughing again.

Leo started to cry as Chuck held onto her shirt, pulling her and himself away from the _Grievers_. Teresa grabbed a hold of him and pulled him in for a huge hug.

"You did it, Chuck," she said. "We were so worried about that stupid code words, we didn't think to look around for something to push – the last word, the last piece of the puzzle."

Leo smiled as she cried. "Well done Chuck. You did well," she said as she patted him on the back.

Thomas laughed. "They're right Chuck – you saved us, man! I told you we needed you!" Thomas scrambled to his feet as he formed a group hug. "Chuck's a _shucking_ hero!"

Leo remained out of the hug, looking up at the _Griever Hole _as she waited for the others, wondering if any of them were still alive. God, she hoped they were.

"What about the others?" Teresa asked.

"Guys!" Leo shouted as loud as she could, hoping there was someone up there to hear her call.

Then, someone fell through the _Hole_ – it was Minho who looked exhausted from all the fighting.

"Minho! Are you okay? What about everyone else!" Thomas shouted.

Minho stumbled as Leo reached out to help him, letting him hold her shoulder as he leaned against her, taking deep breaths. "We lost a ton of people…It's a mess of blood up there…then they all just shut down." He paused, taking a huge breath and letting it go. "You did it. I can't believe it actually worked."

Then Newt jumped down and she looked at Minho. "I'm fine," he said as he leaned against the wall. She moved towards Newt and almost hugged the life out of him, so glad that he was alive.

He was as well as he hugged her back, almost shaking. "I'd thought I'd…"

She cried into his shoulder. "I was so worried," she said as he rubbed her back. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"Me too," he said with a smile, right as some others dropped down.

Frypan came down, then Winston, then the young Emil who ran up to Leo and hugged her waist, not wanting to let go. Soon, eighteen boys had joined them, making only a total of twenty-two _Gladers_.

Leo hadn't realised how covered she was in both _Griever_ oil and her own blood. As she looked at the others, they hadn't seemed to realise how covered they were either. Clothing was ripped to shreds, and hers had rips from the cuts.

"The rest?" Thomas asked.

"Half of us," Newt said. "Dead."

No one said a word. They all realised how much had been sacrificed, how many lives had been ruined, how much suffering how resulted.

"You know what?" Minho asked, standing a little taller. "Half might've died, but half of us shucking lived. And nobody got stung – just like Thomas thought. We've gotta get out of here."

_Half. We went from forty-two to twenty-two…So many people…_

"Let's get out of here," Newt said. "Right now."

"Where do we go?" Minho asked.

Thomas pointed down the dark tunnel. "I heard the door open down that way."

"Well – let's go," Minho said as he turned and started walking up the tunnel, not waiting for any response. Newt nodded, ushering the other _Gladers_ to go past. One by one, they all went until Newt, Leo, Chuck, Thomas and Teresa remained.

"I'll go last," Thomas said.

No one argued with him. Newt went and then it was Leo's turn. She looked behind her before she started walking. Even the flashlights were getting swallowed up by the darkness. She wondered what could be at the end of the tunnel.

Would it be a bright light of hope? Or even more darkness?

After a minute or so of walking, she heard a shriek from ahead, then followed by another and another. Their cries faded as if they were falling.

"What the hell was that?" Leo whispered to Newt.

"I have no bloody idea," he whispered back. She reached out for his hand and held it as they continued to walk. Was there something deadly at the end of this tunnel? Had they done all this hard work for nothing?

Her stomach churned as she heard the _Gladers_ shouts as they seemed to disappear. Then, Newt went down.

Leo shook her head, right before she plunged down into the darkness, screaming as she went down the slick black chute, almost like a slide. It was slick with the same oil from the _Griever Hole _that smelled like burnt plastic, seeming to burn her nose with its horrid smell.

She twisted her body until she got her feet in front of her, then tried to push her hands against the slide to slow her down. But it was no use. The grease made it impossible for her to grab anything and she screamed as she kept going faster and faster.

Panic gripped her when she could hear the _Glader_'s screams echoing off the tunnel walls. She could hear Chuck's child-like screams behind her.

Then, the smell in the tunnel changed from the burning plastic to mildew. She started to gag as she covered her mouth and nose.

The tunnel twisted and turned into a rough spiral, knocking her against the walls, making her slow down. But, she was still falling. It seemed like the black tunnel would never end, taking sharp turns and twists.

They went down another tube as Leo started to feel sick, her head starting to hurt as she continued to fall. She heard Newt let out a cry that didn't echo and then it was her turn to scream.

She flew out of the tunnel and landed on the ground, letting out a groan of pain. Newt was right next to her, groaning as he got himself back up. Right as Leo was about to stand, Chuck fell onto her legs, sending her back to the ground.

"Sorry," he said as he got up.

Newt held out his hand for her to grab as she pulled herself up. "No worries, _shank_," she said, rustling his hair. Bodies were scrambled everywhere as people groaned and squirmed, wondering what had happened.

Leo gasped as she looked around the room, noticing that Teresa and Thomas had also fallen out of the tunnel. Everyone had pulled themselves into a tight group, everyone looking at their new surroundings.

They were now in a huge underground chamber, ten times bigger than any _Homestead_ they could build. The place was covered in all kinds of machinery, wires, ducts and computers from top to bottom.

On the left side of the room were a row of about fifty white pods that looked like coffins. Then, on the right side were large glass doors, but she couldn't make out what was on the other side of the door.

"Look!" someone shouted. She turned and fear shot up her body as she saw it. In front of them were a row of twenty dark tinted windows, a person – some men, some women – sitting there staring at them with squinted eyes. They were all pale and extremely thin, almost looking like ghosts.

These were the people everyone in the _Glade_ had been afraid of ever since they knew of them. These were the sick freaks that had locked them in a _Maze_, killing them and torturing them, taking them from their lives.

The _Creators_ were sitting right in front of them.


	29. Chapter Twenty-Nine

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own The Maze Runner nor any of the characters from it.

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE:**

The People Behind It All…

* * *

Day Seventy-Three – Part Five – The "Ending" - Unknown

Leo took a step back, startled by the ghostly looking people. The silence in the room was almost like death, sucking the life out of every last _Glader_ in the room as they stared at the windows.

One of them looked down to write something, another reaching for a pair of glasses. All of them had black coats over their white shirts, words stitched on the right side of their chest.

All of them looked gaunt and sickly looking, it was horrific to look at as they continued to stare at them.

One man shook his head, a woman nodded. Another man scratched his nose, making Leo realise that these were actual live people and not just robots.

"Who are these people?" Chuck whispered, but his voice echoed through the chamber.

"The _Creators_," Minho said, spitting on the floor. "I'm gonna break your faces!" he screamed.

"You sick _shucking_ freaks!" Leo yelled at them, but none of them reacted.

"What do we do?" Thomas asked. "What are they waiting for?"

"They've probably revved the _Grievers_ back up," Newt said. "They're probably coming right-"

A loud, slow beeping sound – almost like an alarm – cut him off as it seemed to come from everywhere, echoing through the chamber.

"What now?" Chuck asked.

Everyone looked at Thomas, wondering if his memories during the _Changing_ had anything like this in them. He shrugged.

Leo looked around the room, wondering where the noise was coming from. But she couldn't find anything. She noticed all of the _Gladers_ looking over to the doors, staring at something. She turned to look and her heart caught in her throat as the door swung open.

The loud beeping stopped, silence taking over the chamber. She held her breath as she waited for a _Griever_ to come sprinting through the door, ready to attack and kill.

But instead, two people walked in.

One was a woman in her mid-30s to 40s. She wore black pants and a button up white shirt with the same logo – WICKED written in blue capital letters. She had brown hair cut at her shoulders, a thin face and dark eyes.

As she walked towards them, her face was straight, no smile or frown present – almost as if she didn't care or notice that they were standing there.

She stopped several feet in front of the _Gladers_, slowly looking from left to right as she took them all in.

But, the other person standing next to her was a youngish boy, wearing a large sweatshirt with the hood pulled up to conceal his face from them.

"Welcome back," the woman said. "Over two years, and so few dead. Amazing."

Leo growled, tempted to charge at the woman. How could she talk so casually about it like this was just a normal day at the office?

Well, for her it probably was.

"_Excuse_ me?" Newt asked.

Her eyes scanned the crowd until she laid eyes on him.

"Everything has gone according to plan, Mr. Newton. Although we expected a few more of you to give up along the way." She moved her eyes away from him and landed on Leo, who gulped. "Even our Leonardo has survived."

If that statement didn't send shivers down her spine, she didn't know what could. Newt, Thomas, Minho and Teresa all looked at her, knowing exactly what the woman meant. Was Leo supposed to die during the _Maze_?

The woman looked over at the boy next to her, taking off his hood. The boy looked up, his eyes wet with tears. Every _Glader_ held their breath in shock, as Leo stared in utter horror.

"Gally?" she whispered, wondering how he had survived and why he was standing with the _Creators_.

"What's he doing here?!" Minho shouted.

"You're safe now," the woman responded, ignoring him. "Please, be at ease."

"At ease? Who are you telling us to be at ease? We wanna see the police, the mayor, the president – somebody!"

The woman narrowed her eyes at Minho. "You have no idea what you're talking about, boy. I'd expect more maturity from someone who's passed the _Maze_ _Trails_."

Leo almost ran forward, but Thomas grabbed her wrist to stop her as Newt elbowed Minho in the gut.

"Gally," Newt said. "What's going on?"

Gally looked at him, shaking his head slightly. But, he didn't say anything. He seemed…possessed? Something was very wrong with him. More than usual.

The woman nodded at him, almost like she was proud. "One day you'll all be grateful for what we've done for you. I can only promise this, and trust your minds to accept it. If you don't, then the whole thing was a mistake. Dark times, Mr. Newton. Dark times." She paused. "There is, of course, one final Variable."

Of course there was.

The woman stepped back as Gally's body started to tremble, his face turning white as his eyes started to turn red from the tears. The skin around his lips twitched, as if he was trying to tell them something, but couldn't.

"Gally?" Thomas asked.

"They…can control me…I don't-" Gally started, but his eyes bulged as a hand went to his throat. "I…have…to…"

Then, he stopped, his body relaxing as his face lost all tension. Just like Alby had when he was going through the _Changing_, just like…her when they took over. It was the exact same thing. They couldn't only control her, but all of them. At any moment, they could flip a switch and they'd be at their mercy.

Gally reached behind him, pulling out a loud and shiny object from his back pocket. The lights in the chamber flashed on the silver – it was a horrid looking dagger gripped in his fingers.

Suddenly, he reared back and threw the knife straight for Thomas.

The knife was windmilling towards him, almost as if in slow motion to make the moment even more terrifying.

"Thomas!"

A cry erupted from his throat, but he didn't move.

And then, Chuck was there in front of him.

With a sick sound, the dagger slammed into Chuck's chest, burying itself in his body. He screamed as he fell to the floor, convulsing. Blood poured out, spraying all over the floor. His legs slapped against the floor, his feet kicking as blood oozed out from his lips.

Tears started to roll down her cheeks as she stared in shock, not being able to move or even comprehend what was happening. Chuck had just sacrificed himself to save Thomas. Chuck – the young twelve year old boy.

Thomas fell to the ground, pulling Chuck's body into his arms.

"Chuck!" he screamed. "Chuck!"

The boy continued to shake, bloody going everywhere as it stained Thomas' hands. His eyes rolled up into his head, dull white orbs taking their place. Blood trickled down his face from his nose and his mouth.

"Chuck…"

Then, he stopped convulsing. His eyes slid back to normal, staring at Thomas as he clinged to life.

"Thom…mas."

"Hand on, Chuck," Thomas said. "Don't die – fight it. Someone get help!"

Nobody moved. As much as they hated to think it, it was already too late for Chuck. He was already gone.

"Thomas," Chuck whispered. "Find…my mom." He coughed, throwing up a chunk of blood. "Tell her…" And then he stopped.

His eyes closed. His body went limp. One last breath.

Leo covered her mouth with her hand as she burst into tears, closing her eyes. She felt someone pull her closer as she cried into their chest, knowing full well it was Newt. She could tell he was shaking as tears threatened to fall.

Thomas let go of Chuck, trembling as he turned to face the visitors.

Then, he snapped.

He rushed forward and threw himself at Gally, his fingers like claws around his neck as he choked him, falling to the ground. He straddled Gally's torso as he started punching him. He held him down with his left hand pushing down on his neck, using his right fist to punch Gally in the face. Then again. Then again.

He continued to punch and punch, revenge seeping through his body. There was crunching, blood and screams. She couldn't tell if Gally was screaming louder or Thomas.

Minho and another boy quickly rushed over, pulling Thomas away as he screamed and flailed, only hitting air. They dragged him across the floor as he fought them, squirming, yelling to be left alone.

Leo looked up to see Gally's beaten and bloody face. If he looked ugly before, he looked even worse now.

Thomas threw himself out of Minho and the boy's grasp as he ran over to Chuck's lifeless body. He grabbed him, pulling him into his arms as he seemed to ignore the blood and lifeless look on his face.

"No!" Thomas screamed. "No!"

Teresa put her hand on his shoulder but he shook it off.

"I promised him! I promised I'd save him, take him home! I promised him!"

Leo's eyes filled with tears again as she watched Thomas pour his heart out. He hugged Chuck closer to his chest, squeezing him as tight as he could. He cried, wept, his sobs echoing off the chamber.

Chuck didn't deserve this. He was only young. He would have gotten tucked in at night, gone to school, had friends, be happy. He would have had a family that loved him, but they took it all away. The _Creators_ took him away from any normal life he could have had.

Thomas let go of Chuck, slumping backwards as he wiped his eyes and cheeks from tears. He looked up at Teresa and then to the rest of them.

Teresa grabbed his hand and helped him stand. The two held hands even as he was stable, but no one said a word. Newt held her closer, feeling her continue to shake from tears.

But, the woman from WICKED stopped the silence.

"All things happen for a purpose," she said. "You must understand this."

Everyone stared at her. Leo's tears turned to anger as she growled under her breath. _Bloody shuckin' piece of-_

Her thoughts were cut off by a series of shouts and commotion from outside the doors. The woman panicked, the blood draining from her face as she turned to face it. The _Gladers_ followed her gaze.

Several men and women dressed in jeans and soaking-wet coats burst through the doors with guns raised, yelling and screaming. Their guns – rifles, pistols – all looked rustic and old, almost like toys that had been abandoned for many years.

Two of the newcomers talked the WICKED woman to the ground. One stepped back and drew his gun and aimed. Several shots exploded from the gun as it slammed into the woman's body, leaving her a bloody, dead mess.

Leo stared in shock, almost stumbling.

A man walked up to them as the others from his group spread out, sweeping their guns left and right as they shot at the windows, shattering them. Screams and blood came from everywhere as the people were shot several times.

The man who had approached them had dark hair. He looked young, but he had many wrinkles around his eyes as if he was constantly worrying.

"We don't have time to explain," the man said. "Just follow me and run like your life depends on it. Because it does."

The man made a few motions to his comrades, then turned and ran out of the big doors, his gun held tightly close to him. Gunfire and cries of agony filled the chamber, but Leo tried to focus on the instructions.

"Go!" one of the newcomers screamed from behind them.

With hesitation, the _Gladers_ looked at each other before they followed each other in a rush to get out of the chamber. They were escaping from the _Grievers_ and the _Maze_, finally leaving that world behind them.

Newt and Leo let go of each other as they ran down the long hallway, turning into a dimly lit tunnel, then up a winding flight of stairs. Everything was dark and smelled like electronics.

Down another hallway. Up more stairs. Through more hallways.

As they continued to run, some of the men and women leading them yelled encouragements from behind. They reached another set of doors and went through them into the massive downpour of rain falling from the black sky.

She couldn't see anything but dull sparks from the pounding drops of water.

The leader didn't stop moving until they had reached a huge bus, the sides dented and scared, the windows filled with cracks.

"Get on!" the man screamed. "Hurry!"

They all did, forming into a tight pack behind the door as they entered, one by one. It took forever as the _Gladers_ pushed and scrambled their way up the three stairs and into the seats.

As Leo continued to run, she felt her breath leave her as she fell to the ground, landing down on her stomach. She was turned to lie on her back as she stared in shock at what had slammed her onto the ground. It was the same horrid creature she had seen in her dreams. A human, an animal-like human.

She screamed as she tried to kick the creature's face as it tried to go for her body. The creature screamed as it jumped onto her, trying to rip the skin from her body. She continued to scream as it tried to grabbed her hair, trying to pull it out. She ended up punching it in the chest, but it only stopped it for a second as she continued to trash around. It raised its head for a second, right before a shot was fired and the bullet went straight through its skull.

Its limp body collapsed onto her as she scrambled away from it, pulling herself out from underneath it. One of the newcomers stood there with his gun aimed, smoke coming out from it.

"Hurry! Get on! Now!" he screamed at her as she ran to the bus as some of the _Gladers_ continued to file on. She heard Thomas cry out as his body slammed into the ground, a woman sitting above him.

"Gonna save us all!" the woman screamed. "Gonna save us from the Flare!" The woman laughed, then it turned into a hacking cough.

"Hurry up!" Leo screamed to the last few _Gladers_ as they got onto the bus as she saw more of those creatures heading towards them.

The woman was ripped off of Thomas as he scrambled to his feet, staring at the man who had dragged her away. She pointed at Thomas. "Don't believe a word they tell ya! Gonna save us from the Flare, ya are!"

The man tossed the women to the ground. "Stay put or I'll shoot you dead." He turned to Thomas.

Leo finally reached the stairs and rushed onto the bus, knowing her clothes were sticky with the creature's blood. Teresa followed behind her and did Thomas as the man shouted for them to get onto the bus.

Leo sat near the back next to Newt who was staring at her with widened eyes filled with concern. "What happened out there?"

She noticed Minho sitting in front of them as he turned around, noticing her staring down at the ground. She didn't answer, shaking her head. In her dreams, she had died from a similar looking creature. If that man hadn't been there to shoot it, she would have been dead.

Teresa and Thomas sat behind them, as a woman sat across from them. The leader climbed into the bus and took the wheel, cranking the engine as the bus started to roll forward.

The woman who had attacked Thomas had gotten back to her feet, sprinting towards the front of the bus as she waved her arms, screaming. The bus continued to drive forward, ignoring her cries.

"Wait," Thomas yelled, but the bus driver ignored him.

The driver gunned the engine, the bus rocked as it slammed into the woman. Leo flinched as the front wheels drove over her body, then the back wheels. Without a word, the driver kept his foot on the gas as the bus continued forward, driving off into the storm-filled night.

The next hour was just a blur of lights and sounds. None of the _Gladers_ said a word as the driver drove at a reckless speed through the towns and cities. The rain blocked most of the views, but there were lights and buildings the flashed past that she didn't seem to recognise.

Leo flinched when she heard banging sounds. She turned and saw those same creatures running outside the bus, their clothes tattered, their hair greasy and their bodies covered in strange pus filled sores. They pounded on the sides of the bus, wanting to get on, wanting to escape. But the bus never slowed.

"What's going on?" Thomas asked to the woman next to him, making Leo turn her head to look. Newt and Minho did the same.

The woman looked at him. "That's a very long story," she said, her eyes filled with sorrow.

"Please," Teresa said. "Please tell us something."

"It'll take a while before you get your memories back, if ever – we're not scientists, we have no idea what they did to you, or how they did it."

Her heart almost dropped as she thought of living her entire life without her memories.

"Who are they?" Thomas asked.

"It started with the sun flares," the woman said.

"What-" Teresa started, but Thomas shushed her.

"The sun flares couldn't have been predicted. Sun flares are normal, but these were unprecedented, massive, spiking higher and higher – and once they were noticed, it was only minutes before their heat slammed into Earth. First our satellites were burned out, and thousands died instantly, millions within days, countless miles became wastelands. Then came the sickness."

She paused, taking a breath. "As the ecosystems fell apart, it became impossible to control the sickness – even to keep it in South America. The jungles were gone, but the insects weren't. People call it the Flare now. It's a horrible, horrible thing. Only the richest can be treated, no one can be cured. Unless the rumours from the Andes are true.

"As for you, all of you – you're just a few of millions orphaned. They tested thousands, chose you for the big one. The ultimate test. Everything you lived through was calculated and thought through. Catalysts to study your reactions, your brain waves, your thoughts. All in an attempt to find those capable of helping us find a way to beat the Flare."

She paused again. _They tested how I could last being disguised…They were testing how I'd handle it…God, they thought of everything, didn't they?_

"Most of the physical effects were caused by something else. First the delusions start, then animal instincts begin to overpower the human ones. Finally, it consumes them, destroys their humanity. It's all in the brain. The Flare lives in their brains. It is an awful thing. Better to die than catch it."

_That girl…if she was supposed to be me…Was I surviving the Flare?_

"We won't let them do this to children. We've sworn our lives to fighting WICKED. We can't lose our humanity, no matter the end result."

She folded her hands in her lap. "You'll learn more in time. We live far in the north. We're separated from the Andes by thousands of miles. They call it the Scorch – it lies between here and there. It's centred mainly around what they used to call the equator – it's just heat and dust now, filled with savages consumed by the Flares beyond help. We're trying to cross that land – to find the cure. But until then, we'll fight WICKED and stop the experiments and tests."

She looked at them. "It's our hope that you'll join us." She looked away.

And with that, the woman stopped talking as she stared out the window.

Leo, Newt and Minho all looked at each other, not knowing what to think. They had just been fed so much information, it almost seemed too much to take in. She knew some of the _Gladers_ had gone to sleep, but there was no way she could go back to sleep unless she had passed out. But, she could always try.

She lied her head on Newt's shoulder, closing her eyes as she listened the engine of bus, trying to calm down her racing thoughts. She steadied her breathing as she relaxed against him, just knowing he was there with her was enough to calm her nerves.

As she started to fall into a dream-like state, the bumps in the road not bothering her anymore, her whole body felt warm when he placed a sweet and short kiss on her forehead, and her heart swelled as a smile went to her face right before she fell into a deep sleep.

…

"_I never caught your name,"_ the young girl said as the two slowly walked down the street, hoping to get back to the small house in which the two met.

"It's Leo…I think," she said as she opened the door, letting the young girl enter first as she closed the door behind her.

"_You think?"_ she asked. She leaned against the door frame as she watched the young girl sit down on the chair.

"I'm not so sure about much anymore," Leo replied, making the young girl raise an eyebrow as she wondered how anyone could not know they're real name.

"_Well, my name's Abigail Allen, I really hope you learn your name."_

Leo laughed as she bent down to the girl's level. "I do too. It was nice to meet you, but I really need to go, I've got my own family to be around."

Abigail tensed up at the thought of having to be alone again. _"You're sure?"_ she asked, tears forming in her eyes. Even though the two hadn't spent a lot of time together, the little girl had formed a strong bond with Leo.

"You're a strong little girl. You'll be able to survive out here, remember, you were the one who saved my life. I promise you that you're going to survive this and that you're going to meet people who really care about you."

Abigail started to sob as she wiped her face, trying to stop the tears. "_I'm going to miss you, Leo," _she whispered as she choked on her sobs.

Leo nodded. "I'll miss you too."

She gave the girl a hug before Abigail let go, letting Leo go to the door. Leo gave a wave with a small smile to the little girl before she opened the door. "Remember, you'll live through this. I promise."

She held up her pinky finger, which made the little girl smile as she did the same before Leo stepped outside the house, closing the door behind her. She took a deep breath as she walked down the cracked street, knowing that her dreams were real from the evidence from the _Changing_.

The creatures finally noticed her as they quickly charged at her, screaming their lungs out. But she didn't scream nor did she move. She wanted this dream to end, so she just stood there and waited for them to attack. They lunged at her and right before they made an impact, the dream went to black…

…

Leo woke to find that the bus was slowing down, reaching a stop. They had pulled into a muddy parking lot, surrounded by a building with several rows of windows. The rescuers shuffled the eighteen boys and two girls through the front door, up a flight of stairs and into a huge dormitory lined with a series of bunk beds against the wall.

On the other side were dressers and tables. The windows were covered by checkered curtains, making the room even darker than it should be. But, the place was still full of colour. Bright yellow wallpaper, red blankets and green curtains.

After being in the dark and dull _Glade_ for so long, seeing this much colour was almost blinding to her eyes. The beds and dresses were made with new materials making everything seem too good to be true.

"I've been shucked and gone to heaven," Minho said, a smile on his face as he looked around the room.

The bus driver left the _Gladers_ in the hands of a small amount of staff – nine or ten men and women dressed in black pants and white shirts, their faces and hands clean with smiles planted on their faces.

Leo almost felt joy running through her veins as she looked at all the colours, the bedding and the happy staff. It all seemed like a dream. But there was always the guilt chewing at her, thinking of all the people who had sacrificed themselves for them to get to this point.

The beds were assigned, clothes and bathroom supplies passed along the line as dinner was served. The food was outstanding. Pizza. Something she was pretty none of them had in over two years. Somehow the rescuers knew she was different and gave her a few slices with no meat on them. How they knew she wasn't sure, but she didn't seem to care as she devoured the pieces, hunger gnawing at her.

Most of the _Gladers_ had reminded quiet through the entire experience, but now there were plenty of smiles and joyous faces. It made her heart flutter seeing everyone happy once again, feeling safe.

After eating, no one argued when they were told to go to bed. Leo shared a bunk with Emil, who had insisted sleeping on the bottom; Newt and Frypan to the left of them; Winston and another boy to the right.

The staff had taken Teresa to a separate room because she was a girl, which meant that they didn't know that Leo was one and they thought she was a boy, which was good in one way.

Leo lied on the top bunk, staring at the ceiling, wondering how a bed could even be this soft and comfortable.

"Leo," Emil whispered from below her.

She sat herself up, hanging her head over the side to look at him. "Yeah?" she asked.

"What's going to happen now?"

She shook her head. "I don't know Emil, but I think we're safe here. We're away from WICKED. Everything's going to be fine."

He nodded as he looked at all the other _Gladers_ around them, some of them already sleeping while others were getting adjusted. Leo lied back down on her bed, her head hitting the soft pillow.

"Leo," he whispered again.

"Yeah?" she asked, not bothering to move from her comfortable spot.

"Please, don't hate me," he said. "But I'm going to do some bad things." His voice was as cold as ice, like he was possessed.

"W-What do you mean?" She lifted her head over the side, but she found that he was already asleep. A shiver went down her spine as she stared a little longer before lying back down, staring at the ceiling.

She shrugged the comment off, hoping he was just trying to scare her. As she closed her eyes that night, everything else seemed peaceful. Peaceful until she woke up the next morning…


	30. Chapter Thirty

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own The Maze Runner nor any of the characters from it.

* * *

**CHAPTER THIRTY:**

WICKED FILES: Thoughts on Maze Trails, Group A…

* * *

WICKED Memorandum, Date 232.1.27, Time: 22:45

TO: My Associates

FROM: Ava Paige, Chancellor

RE: THOUGHTS ON MAZE TRIALS, Group A

By any reckoning, I think we'd agree that the Trials were a success. Twenty-one survivors, all well qualified for our planned endeavour. The responses to the Variables were satisfactory and encouraging. The boy's murder, the traitor and the "rescue" proved to be a valuable finale. We need to shock their systems, see their responses. Honestly, I'm amazed that in the end, despite everything, we were able to collect such a large population of kids that just never gave enough.

Our test subject, Subject A-21 was able to survive the entire Trial as well, regardless of the condition. I guess we'll need to try harder to see if we can get any progress on the stress levels and see what reaction the body gives. The brain hasn't been under enough stress as of yet to give us the proper results we want from our subject.

Oddly enough, seeing them this way, thinking all is well, has been the hardest thing for me to observe. But there's no time for regret. For the good of our people, we will move forward.

I know I have my own feelings as to who should be chosen as leader, but I'll refrain from saying at this time so as not to influence any decisions. But to me, it's an obvious choice.

We are all well aware of what's at stake. I, for one, am encouraged. Remember what the girl wrote on her arm before losing her memory? The one thing she chose to clasp onto?

WICKED is good.

The subjects will eventually recall and understand the purpose of the hard things we have done and plan to do to them. The mission of WICKED is to serve and preserve humanity, no matter the cost. We are, indeed, "good".

Please respond with your own reactions. The subjects will be allowed one full night's sleep before Stage 2 implementation. At this time, let's allow ourselves to feel hopeful.

Group B's trail results were also most extraordinary. I need time to process data, but we can touch on it in the morning.

Until tomorrow, then.


End file.
